^0 




^^0^ : 







r.^* A 










- .0 





^^-^^^ - 




ft ^>* «^ 







*. .* .•.%^.% v./ /.^1^\ ^^^.♦^ /- 



AO^ 













• • 








• '^^0^ f 















" o 










o " o 



.'^ 



^0-7% 




«• «>• t"^ 










'^. cA" -^^^MPfff* ^. A^ /jA^^^A'- ''^^ C^ 








^ A^ 

0" •.s5^^'.. o .^^ 




A 



.^^^^^ 

V ^ 



^. 





'^^ ^« o^^^^^^^^ii;^'-. ^. <-^ 








'/ v^'/ V-^'/ %^^-> 

.0 



^0 ^. 



jP-n., 



4 



THE 



Yes. Johs Baptist De La Salle, 

THE TRUE FRIEND OF YOUTH, 



FOUNDER OF THE 



BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS. 



SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR ^ >w:»^-c^■^rv c^. 

AMERICAN YOUTH. 



NEW YORK: 




...7 J J f 



:^''^' 



DE LA SALLE INSTITUTE, 

48 Second Street. 

1884. 




tf 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1884:, by 

JOHN P. MURPHY, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



Electrotyped and Printed at 

The New York Catholic Protect obt, 

West Chester, N. Y. 



TO 

The Catholic Boys of America: 
Generous of Heart to follow God's Will, 
Prayerful of Spirit to Obtain His Guidance, 
Future Brothers of the Christian Schools, 
This little Volume 
Is Affectionately dedicated 
By the Author. 



// 



INTRODUCTION. 



The world can find no labor more important, saints ask no 
greater privilege, than the care of youth. The greatest struggle 
that has ever been carried on, is that which is now waged be- 
tween the Church and her enemies to determine who will train 
up the child, who will mould its character, direct its future, and 
thus, in great measure, determine its eternal welfare. If we 
open the pages of Holy Writ, the same lesson is taught : the 
dignity ot the child is shown m every page, his education is the 
object ol the wisest laws, strengthened by the most wonderful 
promises to those who comply therewith ; while the direst cal- 
amities threaten the derelict in so sacred a cause , 

'* Bring them up in the discipline and correction of the Lord," said the Apostle 
who elsewhere declared, "1 became all things to all men that I might save all." 
He knew that " they that instruct many unto justice shall shine as stars for all 
eternity." 

** Take this child and nurse him for me ; I will give thee thy wages." These 
words, spoken by the kind-hearted daughter of Pharoah have been again and 
again repeated to encourage those who make the care of youth their life-tasks 
and in so acting they have been enabled to repeat to their little flocks ; " Come, 
children, hearken to me ; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." 

Time, l^hich changes so many things, has made important al- 
terations in the position and sway which the child holds in 
society. To-day, as a thousand years ago, youth is the object of 
the most tender affection •, but, more than a thousand years ago, 
he is now enabled to raise himself to a much higher point of 
excellence. Society unites in procuring him every possible 



yi Introdioction, 

advantage ; laws are promulgated to defend his interests ; the 
Church, as ever the protectress of the weak and the lowly, 
raises her voice to bless those who help, and to anathematize 
those who seek to injure the dearest portion of her flock. In 
carrying out the teachings of our Divine Lord, the Church de- 
clares that whatever is done to the least of these little ones is' 
done to God himself. Their interests are hers, and she ceases 
not to proclaim : " Give me the souls of the little ones for whomv 
Christ has died." 

And thus we find throughout her history, that the Church 
has fostered the child as only a mother can foster it. A pagan 
world had for thousands of years declared that only the strong 
and hearty should be allowed to live ; among pagan nations, 
brutal parents, as in China, have been, and are still, allowed 
to feed their swine on poor, sickly, helpless babes ; deformity 
of body is in such countries a short road to destruction. In 
earlier days little ones were offered up in sacrifice, their burn- 
ing flesh and writhing limbs being supposed to propitiate the 
gods to whom they were so barbarously offered. But, behold! 
a change comes o*er the scene ! " A. virgin brings forth a son," 
the Babe of Bethlehem is born ; wise men from the East hasten 
to adore him. A cruel king seeks the Divine Infant's life, but 
an angel comes to his assistance- Jesus, the son of Mary 
is saved ; he is rescued from cruel hands. Like Moses of old, he 
is taken into a strange country. He grows in wisdom, in age 
and in grace. He is brought back in due time to his native land, 
waxes strong, begins his public mission, and all through His 
wonderful career, in which he goes about doing good, his con- 
stant appeal is, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid 
them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." He threatens 
with the direst calamities those who scandalize the least of 
these little ones, whose angels, he declares, are constantly before 
his Father who is in heaven. As though this were not sufficient, 



Introditciion. vii 

he declares that it were better that a man should have a mill- 
stone tied about his neck, and that he should be cast into the 
sea, rather than that he should scandalize one of those little 
ones for whom he came to die. One of his last words on his 
journey to Calvary, tells of his ever constant love for children. 
When the pious women gather around and weep over him, He 
says in his own benignant and affectionate manner : " Weep not 
for me, but weep rather for yourselves and for your children." 
When the years of his mortal career were ended ; when he went 
to his Father to prepare mansions for his faithful disciples he 
forgot not the children. Scarcely had the Church escaped 
from the clutches of persecuting tyrants, when her first care 
was to prepare homes for children either forsaken by unnatural 
parents, or left orphans by martyred fathers and mothers. All 
through her early history, asylums were founded in which the 
orphan was harbored and educated. Her bishops founded 
homes which were confided to willing hands ; the early saints 
gave their lives and their fortunes to befriend helpless waifs ; 
monasteries opened their doors to educate them, and throughout 
the whole course of her history, the Church of Christ shows how 
faithfully she has carried out her divinely appointed mission to 
take the child and bring him up in the path in which he should 
go, that even in his old age he should not depart therefrom. 

But among those who have thus shown themselves the spe- 
cial friends of Christ's little ones, there are some whose names 
shine with unwonted lustre. St. Vincent de Paul and the Vener- 
able De La Salle may safely be said to be the prominent figures 
in this God-like mission. What Vincent did for the body. La 
Salle accomplished for the mind, the soul. 

Not content with taking care of the poor and helpless, the 
Church, in her charity, has raised up apostles of youth whose 
life hao been spent in caring for the spiritual and intellectual 
welfare of those who, so far as their mere bodily wants were con- 



viii Introduction. 

cerned, had no reason for complaint. Such as these were ex- 
posed to forget God in the mere worldly happiness they enjoyed. 
Others there were, who, though under the paternal roof, felt not 
the benign influence of a father's care or a mother's love ; who, 
while receiving such slight attention as enabled them to preserve 
life, were yet so far neglected as to be moral waifs. Of both 
such classes, the Venerable De La Salle was the friend in need, 
the friend indeed. To both, he gave up all that life has of dear- 
est, that home has of nearest, and making himself the apostle 
of youth became all to all children that he might save all to 
Christ. 

How far he succeeded, the following pages seek partially to 
determine. It is sincerely hoped, nay, fondly believed that such 
an example of self-sacrifice must appeal with untold strength 
and force to the mind of youth, naturally noble and intelligent, 
such as our American boys are. If, while perusing these pages, 
such youths find themselves impelled to love and revere all 
that is true, beautiful and good in such a life, the author will be 
more than repaid for his labor of love. The hope of such a 
happy result has led him to prepare this special Life for the 
bright Catholic boys of our beloved America. 

If, in addition to loving and admiring, even some few, nay, even 
one, more favored than the rest, should, like De La Salle, give up 
all to follow Christ, whose greatest love was shown to little ones, 
then, indeed, his highest hopes shall be tenfold realized. To- 
day, the Christian religious teacher is the want of the hour. 
God grant that the number may be increased ; that the fold of 
Christ's lambs be made larger, through the lessons taught, the 
examples given, the plan furnished by the "True Friend of 
Youth," the Children's Apostle, the Venerable John Baptist De 
La Salle. 

House of Studies, Amawalk. 

Feast of the Holy Rosary, 1883. 



CHAPTEE I. 

The Catholic idea of a Saint. — Cardinal Newman's description. — These 
views dwelt upon. — The Saint best knows and pities human weakness. 
John Baptist is baptized. — Early impressions. — Forecasts. — Visits to 
Churches. — Miniature Altar. — Exalted idea of the Priesthood. — In- 
fluence of the Crucifix and Rosary. — Devotion to the Sacred Passion 
and to Mary, Virgin most Pure. 

" Catholics have an instinctive veneration for those who have the 
traces of heaven upon them," for such traces indicate the saint. 
But wh at is a Saint ? By what signs may we know him ? May we 
hope to meet such a one during the course of our lives ? These 
are all important, interesting questions. There are few subjects, 
indeed, upon which men have ideas more vague than those 
which they conceive of God's special servants. His Eminence 
Cardinal Newman assures us that none but Catholics can fully 
conceive of such a character as is implied in the term Saint, and 
even among Catholics, there must be a degree of familiarity 
with the workings of God in his Saints, to enable us to point 
them out here below. It is only the initiated few who can point 
out and say : behold one in whom God dwells, and delights to 
make himself known to mortals. Saints are of a growth hidden 
to ordinary eyes, and yet, thank God, the Church is never without 
those whose lives are such as Saints lead. She is never without 
a very large number who, walking in the way of the command- 
ments, without, however, embracing the evangelical counsels, 
go to make up the number saved in the redeeming blood of Christ 
Jesus, and who, by their lives, in the midst of the world and its 



10 The Venerable De La Salle. 

temptations, prove that the grace of God is all powerful ; that 
whoso chooses to take up his cross and follow the Crucified, will 
find strength in his weakness, light in darkness, energy amidst 
discouragements, joy in his tribulations. 

We are all called to be Saints ; the elect are all such ; heaven 
is peopled by their numbers and earth is blessed by their pre- 
sence. 

Yet, to the truly Catholic heart, the term Saint, as used by iJ 
the Church, when applied to her canonized children, implies a 
height of virtue, a depth of religious conviction, an extent of 
charity before which ordinarily good lives pale. " Very various 
are the Saints, their variety being a token of God's workman- 
ship ; but, however various, and whatever was their special 
line of duty, they have been heroes in it ; they have attained 
such noble self-command, they have so crucified the flesh, 
they have so renounced the world ; they are so meek, so gentle, 
so tender-hearted, so merciful, so sweet, so cheerful, so full of 
prayer, so diligent, so forgetful of injuries ; they have sustained 
such great and continued pains, they have persevered in such 
vast labors, they have made such valiant confessions, they 
have wrought such abundant miracles, they have been 
blessed with such strange successes, that they have set up a 
standard before us of truth, of magnanimity, of holiness, of 

love They are always our standards of right and good ; they 

are raised up to be monuments and lessons, they remind us of 
God, they introduce us into the unseen world, they teach us 
what Christ loves, they trace out for us the way which leads ' 
heavenward. They are to us who see them, what wealth, noto- 
riety, rank and name are to the multitude of men who live in 
darkness, — objects of our veneration and of our homage." 

Shall we venture to add a line to so lovely a picture ? Not 
certainly with the purpose of making the character more attrac- 
tive. Yet, with a view to bringing it within the grasp of the 



An Appeal to CafJioIic Youtli. 11 

yoTitliful readers for whom we write, let us subjoin a few words 
of explanation or rather of reflection. 

To the ordinary mind, the idea of a saint seems strangely 
coupled with that of one who is morose, estranged from his fel- 
lows, void of those affections which make life dear : he is look- 
ed upon as being without interest in the welfare of society, dead 
to its pursuits, indifferent to its success or failure. Yet, take 
> the comprehensive definition or character of the saint as fur- 
nished by Cardinal Newman, and how fully all such false no- 
tions are exploded. 

A saint, in whatever sphere he becomes such, is a hero. Does 
this not tell that nobility of character must be the basis, while 
grandeur of purpose is his motive through life ? A saint is a 
hero, whose first victories and often not bloodless ones, have 
been over self, which he has curbed, bearing about in his 
flesh the image of Christ crucified. A saint is a hero who 
proves his claim to the title by faithfully fulfilling the promises 
made in baptism, and all through, later in life, by renouncing the 
world with all its charms, its seductions and its dangers. Yet, 
while thus heroic, self-controlled and sacrificed, there is in the 
saint a meekness, learned, by divine imitation, from Him who 
was meek and humble of heart ; there is a gentleness which 
must be the outgrowth of love ; a tender-heartedness which 
makes him take the whole world as his family, her most way- 
ward sons as his chosen children. In the character of the 
saint we find persistent cheerfulness the standing rule. What 
would render others sombre and dejected has no other effect 
than to send the saint into the arms of God, through prayer ; 
and there, as St. Ignatius expressed it, a quarter of an hour's 
colloquy with the Almighty, renders him ready for any trial, 
"God's will being adored in all things in his regard." (1) Monks 
and saints are spoken of by a certain class the world-over as being 

(1) Words of Ven De La Salle. 



19 



The Venerable Be La Salle, 



idlers , yet here we have them pictured truly as diligent in well- 
doing, so occupied in benefitting their neighbor as tc be forget- 
ful of the ill-treatment which often proves their only earthly 
reward. Was St. Paul an idler ? Did St. Francis De Sales 
lose much time ? Were St. Francis Xavier and the thousands 




i 



THE HOUSE IN WHICH THE VEN. DE LA SALLE WAS BORN, 

who followed him to preach the gospel and then to die, were 
those idle ? Certainly not ; so far from this, they persevered 
in vast labors, preaching, writing, exhorting ; strengthening 
their words by mighty works, and themselves shedding the 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 13 

last drop of their blood, giving up to the very last, every effort of 
their strength, in defence and maintenance of the standard of 
truth and charity which they established. A real saint is the 
most magnanimous of men ; he gives himself for his fellow man. 
He is a standard of holiness, for he has learned and studied 
under the great divine model *, his life is a lesson of love, for love 
of God inaugurated his work, and affection for his neighbor is its 
secondary moving power. The saints are truly great, for they 
have been truly good. They point by the actions of their lives 
to a better land, whither we must tend, as the ultimate object of 
our wanderings in our exile here below. 

Such is the true idea of the saint, such the picture furnished 
in his after years by the child which divine Providence gave the 
world in the person of La Salle.* ^ * * (1) 

Holy Writ informs us that "a wise son maketh the father 
glad, but the foolish son is the sorrow of his mother.*' Taking 
this as the measure of the blessing bestowed upon the parents of 
the child John Baptist De La Salle, they were blessed indeed. 
Their conduct in his education was such as to deserve all the 
happiness that such a son can bestow. 

On his birth day John Baptist was regenerated in the waters 
of baptism. It was near his cradle that Mdme. De La Salle 
loved to pray. While still a babe, and suffering as children 
are wont, the Christian mother gave her first-born the crucifix 
to kiss, and long before the little one had learned the meaning, 
he had felt the soothing power of the sign of our redemption. 

The pious mother had read and learned what Sts. Jerome 
and Augustine tell us of the passion as developed in earliest 
years. She knew that it was her duty as a Christian mother to 

(1) A few years ago, a literary society was founded in Rheims Among the subjects of 
discussion given, was " The old houses of our city." In examining the documents referring 
to these, the house in which the Ven. De La Salle was born was thus discovered. It is now the 
property of the Institute, and was re-opened on the 200th anniversary of the day on which D. 
L. S. took the teachers into his own dwelling (Authob.) 



14 Tlie Venerable Be La BcJk. 

begin from the most tender years to train the child in the way of 
the cross. Divine Providence afforded little De La Salle a fair 
share of the cup of suffering, for from his birth he was delicate 
and frail. If the sign of our redemption was the first shown to 
the child, the name of the Divine Bedeemer was also the first 
that he was taught to pronounce. Long before any effort was 
made to teach him the names of those to whom after God, he 
owed his being, he was made to pronounce that name " whose 
sweetness equals its power," without which all food is dry 
and insipid ; a name which is exquisite honey in the mouth, 
sweet melody to the ear, jubilation to the heart," the Holy 
name of Jesus. With the pious author of the hymn on the sacred 
name of Mary we may say : 

" He spoke it and he smiled. " 

"As soon," says the biographer of De La Salle's youth, "as reason 
dawned, and that the child could walk with ease, the pious 
mother led him to the church." "At once," writes his first bio- 
grapher, " his heart was charmed." His eyes were drawn to the 
contemplation of the altar and its flowers and ornaments, the 
rising incense, the priests in prayer, surrounded by their assist- 
ants ; and while his senses were thus wrapt in the externals of 
religion, his soul felt an undefined yet genuine impulse leading 
him to learn that God alone is truly good ; that religion alone 
can charm the mind while ennobling the heart. Young De La 
Salle went home after his first visit to the church firmly con- 
vinced that he had been in the divine presence, actually residing 
in God's holy temple ; he felt that the great God had listened, and 
that he, a little child, had been allowed to hold converse with 
Him. 

After his return home, his only subject of conversation was the 
sights he had beheld. Like all intelligent children, he had a 
thousand wliys to propose. If ordinary children are so attrac- 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 15 

tive in their infantile talk about the usual topics of the child- 
world, what, asks one of his biographers, must have been the 
interest felt in young La Salle who babbled the sweet names of 
Jesus and Mary, asked such strange questions about their prerog- 
atives, and thus, like the Divine Child in the Temple, asked 
and answered questions which astonished his hearers ! 

Young La Salle naturally concluded that no one should know 
these sacred things so well or so fully as the priest. As many of 
the reverend clergy frequented his father's house, he seemed su- 
premely happy and at ease. When he perceived them at a dis- 
tance he hastened to meet them, and ere their arrival at the 
parental home, he had secured their good graces, asked many 
questions and received as many answers. Naturally anxious to 
encourage such excellent dispositions, the good clergy not only 
answered his queries, but, by an intelligent direction, gave his 
thoughts a deeper and more practical bearing. When they spoke? 
he listened with attention ; he then renewed his questions, and 
only ceased his interrogatories when he felt that others were 
likewise entitled to the company and conversation of his father's 
visitors. 

It was after such visits to the church and such conversations 
with the ministers of holy Mother Church that young De La 
Salle was accustomed to retire to his room where, with the great- 
est gravity and truly juvenile piety, he repeated such ceremonies 
of the Church as he could well remember ; the flowers he gather- 
ed, he used to decorate his miniature altar, while candlesticks 
and other ornaments were made to do duty in the young saint's 
oratory. While thus describing John Baptist De La Salle, it 
must not be imagined that he was either taciturn or morose. On 
the contrary, he was the gayest among his lively companions : lov- 
ed to be in the midst of interesting but innocent games. " Even in 
his old age," relates one of his biographers " his delight was to see 
children busy at play : he enjoyed their shouts of laughter and 



16 The Venerable De La Salle. 

declared that where there was plenty of noise there were few 
sins." Youth, when worthy of its years, loves freshness and 
openness of heart and soul ; generosity of sentiment, valor in 
juvenile struggles, sweet gayety, kindly manners, pure emotions 
are all the portion of the truly Christian youth : such were the 
traits which all admired in young De La Salle. In this way did 
he acquire, even as a boy, that wonderful influence over youth, 
for which, in all his after years he was so distinguished. 

And all this happy combinatioa of traits and virtues which, 
in others could be but the result of prolonged years of struggle, 
De La Salle possessed while yet under seven years old ! Many 
reasons might be given for such rare indications at so early 
an age, but, we may perhaps say that it was his wonderful, 
devotion to the Saints and his persistent study of their lives 
which brought about such early fruits. Even before he had 
learned to read, the Saints' lives were his daily, not to say 
hourly food. Among his relatives and acquaintances, it was 
well known that the shortest way to reach his good will and 
affection was by reading to him some of the lives of those saints 
whose narrative proved most attractive. Even in his early 
days, the future character was seen ; the future mission ii.dicated. 
Young La Salle loved such lives as had been filled with deeds of 
good to men ; lives lived for the benefit of humanity ; liv« s given 
up that souls might be saved. And thus, as Pere Gaven tells us, 
the child John Baptist De La Salle already shone as th ^ most 
brilliant gem in a truly illustrious family ; in his beauty of soul 
was seen the ingrowing of Christ's own exceeding lustre .' here 
indeed was a soul not only bought but kept pure and unstained 
by the merits of the blood of a Kedeemer and Saviour. To pre- 
serve this young soul thus untarnished, to present it daily as a 
pure holocaust before the Lord, became thenceforth the reigning 
thought, the sole ambition of John Baptist's parents. 

But, the mother, as biographers relate, took the largest share 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 17 

in this holy work. Her's was a piety whose perfume filled the 
whole house. Under such influences, John Baptist grew up in- 
haling a blessed atmosphere as he waxed stronger. Thus the 
young mother, though so mild and gentle, exercised a wonder- 
ful influence by the wisdom of her words, the energy of her acts, 
and vivifying principle of piety gave to both acts and words a 
meaning and a power which they could not otherwise possess. 
" This pious mother," as the most ancient of De La Salle's 
biographers relates, "strove in retirement and silence to culti- 
vate those virtues which dread the gaze of men in the glare of 
society, from which they rarely escape unscathed. 

In this labor of love, in which she sought to reproduce 
Christ in the person of her heaven-blessed son, she never failed 
to avail herself of the assistance to be obtained by praying to, 
and the influence to be exercised by, the mother of all Christian 
children, Christ's own Immaculate Mother, Mary. Often, 
while praying beside her son's cradle, or later, when showing 
him the image of heaven's Queen, she would place her rosary 
in young De La Salle's hands. Thus under the benign influence 
of prayer, example and his own good disposition, John Baptist 
grew to be a boy of seven years. He had already made a chapel 
of his own little room ; his ambition was soon to be satisfied, 
when he would be allowed to enter the sanctuary as an altar-boy, 
there to perform angelic functions which had already been the 
delight of such holy personages as St. Louis of France, a King 
of Bohemia, Louis of Gonzaga, and many others Avhose examples 
he sought to imitate, whose lives he strove to reproduce, so far as 
the good God would permit it, in his own. 

For a whole year, John Baptist had been studying the respon- 
ses, watching his more favored companions already in service, 
and asking such questions as would enable him best to fulfil 
such holy functions. When, finally, he was allowed to enter 
the holy place, to act the part of altar boy to the ministers of 



18 Tlie Venerahh De La SaUe. 

the Most Higli, he appeared rather an angel than a child ; he 
was pointed out as the exemplar of the sanctuary, the child who 
was to realize great things, since God was so visibly with him, 
guiding his actions, inspiring his thoughts, and giving a hea- 
venly caste to his whole exterior. " When at the altar, he was 
seized with a holy fear which communicated itself to the as- 
sistants. On beholding him, people were inclined to call him 
a seraph in the flesh ; his whole exterior bespoke a lively faith, 
an ardent love for Christ Jesus." His countenance inflamed, 
eve a in his early years, with love divine, moved all hearts. 
Though yet so simple and comparatively untaught, he went 
about the altar with genial grace and with a serious cast of 
countenance that bespoke faith, fear and love, and which at once 
proclaimed him destined for the service of the altar. His re- 
sponses at Holy Mass were at once clear, energetic, and yet mel- 
lowed by the holiest of convictions. But, his piety was not eon- 
tent with the important duties incumbent upon the true altar- 
boy. His devotion asked for more, and he might be seen in his 
spare moments, kneeling at the feet of Mary's favored statue. 
He was drawn to this good Mother through the love he bore her 
divine Son, and all through life, his greatest pleasure was to 
prostrate himself at her feet ; his greatest trial to withdraw 
from the lovely and childlike conversations which he held with 
the Mother of Purity, the Protectress of the weak and lowly. 

We have thus far seen young De La Salle amid his own 
friends and parents, showing by his conduct what the future 
man was to be ; let us now follow him outside the paternal 
mansion, to the University of Rheims, where his virtue will be put 
to the test, his talents fairly measured by comparison, his worth 
proven by the keen test of exposure. In all these cases lie 
will prove worthy of his earliest promises. 



CHAPTEK II. 

Influence of Early Training. — The private tutor ; public Christian 
Schools. — Benefits of Emulation. — Young La Salle enters the TJni" 
versity oj liheims. — Professor and Pupil. — Mutual relations. — Holr^^ 
amusements. — John Baptist loves only Sabred Music. — Fails to learn 
profane airs. — Vocation. — M. De La Salle and wife con sent, after c, 
struggle. — Appeal to Christian Parents. — Besult of one vocation 
folloived. — John Baptist receives the tonsure. — How he preserves his 
virginal purity. — Penances and other means employed. — He is named 
Canon at 16. — Impression made by the young Cleric. — La Salle goes 
to Pans. — Death of father and mother. — Beturn to Bheims. — Trials 
and Temptations. — Important lesson given. — Victory f 

" If we have had so many bad princes and rulers, " wrote the 
late illnstrioTis Mgr. Dupanloup, bishop of Orleans, " we owe it 
to their isolated education." Kept apart from the world whose 
welfare they were bound to study and understand, these chiefs 
of the people came to look upon themselves as a superior class 
of beings and acted accordingly. Had they, on the contrary, been 
brought up in any of those renowned public schools which the 
Church has established, or which the State encouraged, they 
would have learned their own and others' worth by the practical 
test of experience. And what is true of princes, equally applies 
to the sons of wealthy parents at the time of which we write. 

Monsieur De La Salle knew human nature too well to be ignor- 
ant of the countless blessings which arise from healthy rivalry 
between youths of the same age and equal capacity. He was anx- 
ious that his son's manhood should be gradually but surely de- 

19 



20 The Venerable De La Salle. 

veloped by daily contact and competition with juvenile compan- 
ions. Wliile fully aware of the dangers which threaten the stu- 
dent who attends largely frequented schools, he was convinced 
that the advantages far exceed the dangers, and therefore resolv- 
ed that his son John Baptist should follow the courses pursued 
in the University of Rheims, where he accordingly entered, 
as a day- scholar. Moreover, the fond parent was persuaded 
from evidences already furnished, that his son would, God helj> 
ing, be able to resist and even forestall the dangers to which he 
would be exposed. Nor was he mistaken. The University was 
at that time under the Presidency of Eev. M. Dozet, a relative 
of the La Salles and likewise a Canon of the Metropolitan Church 
of Eheims. Thus guided, under the eye of a watchful relative, 
John Baptist soon became a favorite with all his professors, 
who, already, as related by Pere Blain, began to ask themselves : 
*' What think you shall this child be ? for the Lord is surely with 
him ! " 

To his new professors he appeared in the same light as he had 
formerly done to his parents and relatives : " frank and sincere 
in word, in conduct ; neither disguise nor evasion ; wonderfully 
given to obedience, while manifesting the utmost firmness of 
character in carrying out the orders he received : in disposition, 
mild and affable, gay and vivacious. An angel in prayer, of whom 
it was hard to say whether he was more amiable than pious, — a 
question which has never been settled by any of his biographers, 
for we may easily conceive that he excelled in both, since he 
copied each from the same divine model. 

It was by such conduct that he became *' a model of virtue to 
his fellow-students, and a subject of pride to his masters. The 
precocious talents of the young scholar, his keenness of judg- 
ment and close attention to study, gave his parents reason to 
expect a most brilliant future for their son. . . . Greater than they 
had ever dared to hope was to be his repute, yet, in the designs 



An Appeal to CatJiolic Youth, 21 

of God, this distinction was to be attained in a sp]i3re far dif- 
ferent from what his parents, but especially his father, had 
anticipated. A partial revelation of John Baptist's future course 
was shown in the manner in which he acted when urged by his 
worthy father to study profane music. The La Salle mansion 
was known among the gentry of E-heims as being among the most 
generous encouragers of arts and artists. Their parlors were the 
scene of many brilliant musical entertainments, and M. De La 
Salle did not consider it beneath his dignity as a magistrate, to 
take a large personal share in contributing to the pleasure of 
his visitors. Among the many accomplishments which he desired 
his son to acquire, he particularly wished him to become a good 
musician. He had reason to think that his little son had more 
than ordinary talent, for, from his infancy he had taken pleasure 
in humming church tunes and hymns. But, the good father 
had failed to perceive that his son's taste scrupulously avoided 
committing to memory any of the many short airs of a secular 
character which were so often sung and played at home. Thus 
when the proposal was made that young De La Salle should 
learn music, he at once complied with his father's wishes, and 
strove to gratify his desire. But, Providence wished other- 
wise, and despite all his self-control it soon became evident 
that John Baptist's taste was limited to strictly religious 
music. This was, as we have said, a forecast of the higher voca- 
tion to which he was called. 

In the course which M. De La Salle wished his son to pursue, 
the youth soon perceived that while religion was in honor, she 
was not to have the first place. What was he to do ? Obedience 
required him to comply, and yet an inner voice told him that 
he was not to be of this world. His latest biographer, Eev. 
Pare Gaveau, beautifully says : " What shall the future Foun- 
der do ? Who will solve his difficulties ? Though but a very 
young student, he has acquired a habit already old in his case. 



22 The Venerable De La Salle. 

He will place tlie matter in the hands of her whose Son called 
him to his service. He will ask her to smooth the path, to fill 
up the yalley of difficulties, with the inflowing of her choicest 
graces, and his prayer will be heard. The hour comes when the 
good father makes known his wishes ; then, in words which he 
speaks from the fullness of a truly filial heart, young John 
Baptist gives his father to understand that such hopes may 
not be cherished. Parents are often pained that God may be 
pleased. He feels himself called to serve God alone ; to minister 
at the altar of sacrifice ; he asks to be allowed to follow his voca- 
tion, which, as both Pere Gaveau and Brother Lucard tell us, 
he received at the moment of his first communion. "To know 
God's will and to act accordingly " was ever young De La Salle's 
practice. In this circumstance his child-like eloquence won 
his cause. M. De La Salle renounced all worldly prospects for 
his son, while the latter hastened to thank God for giving so easy 
a solution to a question which had threatened to be serious in 
its consequences. Christian parents, do you understand the 
nobility of such conduct ? Do you see your own duty traced 
in the action of this Christian father ? If urged, even at the 
risk of your lives, to break open the door of the tabernacle, 
to seize the sacred vessels, and to use them for profane pur- 
poses, the blood-stained altar-steps would attest the courage 
with which you had resisted so sacrilegious an outrage. Yet, 
what less criminal act do you commit, when you thwart the 
religious vocations of your children ; when you take these 
vessels of election, and constrain them to serve a purpose for 
which Providence had never intended them ? Had such un- 
christian principles directed the conduct ol Louis de La Salle, 
we should not have one of the brightest pages furnished for 
our information and encouragfement in the extensive volume of 
Catholic history, while the Church, and, through her society, 
might have had fewer laborers m the great cause of popular 
education. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 23 

In tlie conduct of John Baptist, at this early age, we see 
that his retiring disposition did not indicate want of force of 
character. It was his first great sacrifice, and his Christian 
fortitude proved equal to the exigency. True courage is never 
demonstrative. Like still waters which run deep, it is only the 
occasion Avhich brings forth the expression of its power. 

The first step which young La Salle took towards embracing 
the ecclesiastical state, to which he and his parents had now de- 
cided he should devote himself, was the reception of the tonsure. 
This he received on the eleventh of March, 1662. This was not 
an idle ceremony, nor simply a seeming renunciation of worldly 

manners and customs Young La Salle's tongue only spoke 

what his heart felt when he declared that he took God for 
his portion, and that he desired no other inheritance. Once a 
cleric, John Baptist, already so good, seems yet an entirely new 
man. His piety, his modesty, the innocence of his morals, al] 
shone with greater lustre than before he had vested himself with 
the cleric's surplice and had approached the steps of the altar. 
Among the young aspirants to holy orders, clerics like himself, 
he was a shining light. As beautifully said by his oldest 
biographer, La Salle was a candle that the bishop had lighted 
and had placed upon a candlestick, that it might spread its rays 
upon the church of Eheims. Soon this light would shine 
over all France. His love for chanting the praises of the Lord 
increased each day. Providence was preparing his young ser- 
vant to follow him still more closely. 

La Salle's hair had fallen under the blessed scissors, while he 
was robed in the white surplice. Thus sacrifice was joined to 
the reception of that garment so significant of holiness of life 
and purity of purpose. 

From that moment, likewise, " he devoted himself with re- 
doubled energy to his studies. His application increased the re- 
sults to be expected from his talents, and a keen intelligence join^ 



24 The Venerable De La Salle, 

ed with good sense and extraordinary industry, made Mm a stu- 
dent of whom all had reason to be proud. Documents still pre- 
served tell that in a few years he became one of the most distin- 
guished students in the University. His affability of manner 
never abandoned him for a moment, and those whom he surpass- 
ed in study were the first to congratulate their more fortunate 
competitor," 

John Baptist was now at an age when the treasure of inno- 
cence can only be preserved at the price of sacrifice. Hence he 
became extremely watchful over the movements of his own heart ; 
he never allowed his temper to overcome his usual serenity, 
and his victory over himself was complete because he never 
made sacrifices by halves. This struggle against his nascent 
passions was a success, because in this battle with self, he 
called upon God in prayer, in words dictated by humility. 
When he found that vigilance, prayer and struggle were to 
be but a part of his duty, when holy purity was to be preserved, 
he never hesitated a moment to join to these such other means 
as religion suggests, and our Divine Lord himself has declared 
to be necessary. Hence, even at this early age, he employed 
those severe measures against his own body which we admire 
in the Saints. Cruel scourgings kept his flesh in subjection, 
while he declared that " the only safeguards against the pitfalls of 
sensuality are the salutary thorns of penance and mortification. '* 

In this way his whole life was made to feel the influence of 
an angelic existence : he manifested a precocity of manliness, 
a mild firmness, a generosity of sentiment, an elevation of soul, 
which announced his future greatness. 

This constant attachment to the holy virtue and his success in 
preserving it, he attributed to the Most Blessed Virgin, to whom 
he was remarkably devoted. " So fully did he participate in the 
characteristic virtue of the angels, that he in some sort presented 
in his person a resume of their charms. His purity of body gave 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 25 

untold brilliancy to his mind, enabling him to seize upon and to 
appreciate the nicest distinctions in disputed points, the choicest 
thoughts in literary gems, the pivotal points in historical 

studies Thus gifted, he was prepared to admire great men ; 

he was moreover ready and qualified to take his place among 
those to whom the Christian world by which he was surrounded 
looked up for spiritual guidance. " 

At this time the University of Eheims had for chancellor? 
Pierre Dozet, archdeacon of Champagne. . . . He was a man 
of great information and of profound piety. He had, by per- 
sonal observation and the report of the professors, learned the 
worth of young De La Salle. . . Finding that death was likely 
to surprise him at any moment, the venerable chancellor, 
who had been over fifty years canon, resolved to put the youth in 
his place. This thought consoled him, and he made it known to 
the youth's parents. John Baptist was the least flattered by 
the offer, but through obedience he accepted. He took pos- 
session of his stall on the 17th of January, 1767, being but six- 
teen years old. ... " Remember," said M. Dozet to his young 
friend, " that a canon should live like li Carthusian monk ; he 
must pass his life in solitude and in retreat. . ." Young De La 
Salle never forgot this advice. 

For three years he continued his studies at the University of 
Eheims, where he finally graduated. During this period " his 
assiduity at choir was remarkable : yet the devotion with which 
he sang the Divine Office attracted even greater attention. The 
aged members of the Chapter considered themselves happy in 
having the young canon in their midst : the more youthful re- 
spected his virtues, for had they been inclined to irregularity, 
his example would have condemned their conduct. 

In 1670, being nineteen years old, De La Salle went to Paris 
to pursue his theological studies under the best masters. These 
he found in the Seminary of St. Sulpice, where he remained 



26 The Ve'iieraUe De La Salle, 

till called home by the death of father and mother, within a 
short lapse of time. 

In leaving his holy retreat where study and prayer had so 
fully occupied his time, he deserved to have the following testi- 
monial entered opposite his name in the Seminary register : 
John Bapist De La Salle was an exact observer of the rules, be- 
ing most assiduous at all the community exercises. He daily 
grew in retirement from the world. His conversation was 
humble and affable. He seems never to have pained anybody, 
or to have been reproached on any point. " Such testimony is 
worth much from an institution which " makes saints, but 
rarely speaks of them as such." It is the characteristic 
of well governed ecclesiastical houses that good is done in 
a quiet way. It is in those mysterious retreats, far from the 
bustle and noise of the world that the future soldiers of Christ 
prepare themselves by prayer and other holy exercises for the 
struggles of future battle-fields. The Seminary and the Novi- 
tiate do a like work. Under the guidance of wise and holy direc- 
tors, the cleric or novice is taught to look into and sound 
the depths of his own heart, and in thus studying himself, the 
future priest or teacher learns to know the entire world. En- 
lightened by the divine light received in prayer, they learn to 
know and understand the things of God. They learn to value 
souls at their true price and to sacrifice themselves unceasingly 
in their behalf. . . . 

A period of such training in the best seminary then in 
France, had already been given De La Salle, when the duties 
of home, where he was to act the part of father and mother to six 
younger brothers and sisters, called him from his holy retreat. 
At this point came the strongest temptation of his life, one that 
was to decide whether he was to take up his cross and follow 
Christ, or whether, loving brother and sister more than Christ, 
he was to prove unfit for the kingdom of heaven. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 27 

In dying, M. De La Salle had confided liis children to the 
care of John Baptist. He could not refuse this legacy of love 
and confidence. The young canon prayed much, asked advice 
and finally accepted the task with all its heavy responsibilities. 
He was in his twenty-first year, and was required to show, in 
his person, such a combination of qualities as would enable him 
fittingly to replace two such worthy parents as Mons. and Mme. 
De La Salle. Scarcely had he undertaken the difficult duty 
when the trial of his life was upon him. He, for the first time 
experienced a really violent temptation against his ecclesiastical 
vocation. There was much in the surroundings of his position 
to give color to his disturbance of mind. Thus far, he had only 
received minor orders and was not irrevocably fixed in the ser- 
vice of God. Moreover, did not the death of father and mother 
justify his looking back ? Did not circumstances require him to 
remain in the world ? Were not his brothers' and sisters' for- 
tunes in his keeping ? How could he reconcile the administra- 
tion of a large fortune with those duties which would be incum- 
bent upon him, if he pursued his ecclesiastical career ? Might 
he not secure his salvation in the world ? Did not duty call 
upon him to forego his personal inclination towards a more per- 
fect state that he might give himself up to the task of educating 
and protecting the young family by which he was surrounded ? 

Young reader ! Here is a lesson which you should carry with 
you all through life. In such circumstances, where nature 
pleads so eloquently, where the world comes in with its subtle 
arguments, be not your own guide. Follow the example of De 
La Salle. Go, cast yourself at the feet of Christ's minister, and 
listen to his words. As he did, ask Mary to protect you. 

God, in his infinite goodness had provided the proper guide to 
lead De La Salle out of the wilderness of his own thoughts into 
the calm and peace which are the reward of obedience. In the 



28 



The Venerable De La Salic. 



person of E-ev. F. Boland, our liero found one of tliose sympa- 
thetic yet great souls made to lead others to tlie highest peaks 
of the mountain of religious perfection. To him Do La Salle 
made known the secret thoughts which strove to obtain the 
mastery. He pleaded not in favor of one side more than the 
other. His motives were most pure, his sole desire to know the 
divine will which, through all future years " he will adore in his 




DB LA SALLE INVOKING DIVINK AID. 



regard." The experienced spiritual director soon learned the 
value of the soul he was to save from a false step : he had no 
hesitancy in assuring him that God required his undivided love 
and service. Moreover, properly directed, and with a purified 
intention, the distractions inevitable in his guardianship w^ould 
become a source of sanctification instead of being a cause of 
falling away. Such was M. Eoland's opinion. 

This advice which De La Salle received as an expression of 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 29 

the divine will, put an end to liis perplexities. WMIb devoting 
himself unreservedly to the welfare of his youthful wards, he re- 
sumed his studies, and at the close of two months from the 
time of his final resolve to persevere in his ecclesiastical vocation, 
he took the irrevocable obligations of the state upon himself 
by receiving sub-deaconship on the eve of Trinity Sunday, 1672. 
The habits of order and discipline which were always familiar 
to him, but which had been strengthened by his sojourn at St. 
Sulpice, taught him the value of such a systematic mode of life 
at home. Accordingly, he gave his brothers and sisters a regu- 
lation in which all the hours of the day had their allotted duties 
or privileges. 

Thus the Yenerable spent six years in the quiet pursuit of 
his duty to his relatives and of the studies which were to pre- 
pare him for the priesthood. In 1677 he received deaconship, 
after which he spent a year in preparing for the dread ceremony 
which was to make him a priest forever. It was after having 
spent the Holy Week of 1678 in contemplating the mysteries of 
the great sacrifice, that he presented himself on Holy Saturday 
to receive those sacred powers that would enable him also to 
renew the unbloody sacrifice, to be one among the many who 
would from the rising of the sun till the setting of the same 
give glory to God on high, and by his ministrations tend to. 
preserve peace among men of good wilL 

During these six long years of preparation, M. De La Salle had 
been under the constant direction of Bev. M. Eoland. This 
worthy priest's work was accomplished. He had led La Salle 
into the temple, and placed him at the altar ; moreover he had 
founded an Institute of nuns for the instruction of the poor and 
had greatly interested his penitent in their welfare. He is now 
called away. Eighteen days after his ordination John B. De La 
Salle closed M. Boland's eyes in death. Their last glance of 
gratitude was given when the future founder of the Brothers 



30 Tlie Venerable l)e La Salle, 

of the Christian Schools promised that he would be a 
father to the orphaned Daughters of the Holy Child Jesus. 
Such was the name of M, Roland's Institute. 

Do you not perceive the wonderful ways of Divine Providence 
in all this ? Quietly, the mission is being prepared :; gradually the 
task unfolds itself ; without noise or bustle, the ground is being 
broken. De La Salle is protecting the Daughters of the Holy 
Child Jesus. In supporting them in their first trials ; in over- 
coming the opposition of the public against the new Society, he 
is exercising himself in the very class of work to which, on a much 
larger scale, he will soon give himself up entirely . He is in the 
hands of an infinitely wise Providence. He is borne in its arms ; 
acts under its impulse. The protector of the Daughters of the 
Holy Child Jesus, devoted to the welfare of poor girls, will soon 
appear, with his own banner afloat. He will be the founder of 
an Order, " one of the greatest factors in the Church," whose 
mission it will be to call little children together and teach 
them the fear of the Lord. Of this, in our next chapter. 




CHAPTER in. 

"Each one has a work to do, amission to fulfil" — La Salle labors in 
another* s field , — Use made of his influence. — What the Church has 
done for youth. — At work wherever a monastery is built or a Church 
erected, — A few schools mentioned. — What ivas taught. — Lack cf 
method in schools of France at the time La Salle began his work.- — 
His meihod developed. — Opposition. — Famine. — '^Providence the only 
bcMs upon which to build Christian Schools," — 3L Be La Salle edu^ 
cates his d'lsciples. — His ''Meditations on School." — Resume of princi- 
pal headings of Chapters. — Schools for higher classes also opened. — 
How children should be treated. — Absence of corporal punishment. — 
Object lessens. — The School of Discipline. — Plan of St. Yon. — Where 
the Venerable lived. — Foreign Countries. — An event in Madagascar , 

John Baptist De La Salle has reached that age and position 
in which Providence indicates the work to be done, and in 
a calm quiet way, prepares the plan on which this work is to "be 
done ; allowing such circumstances to occur as will manifest the 
design and facilitate the first steps toward its realization. 

After the death of Pere Boland, De La Salle faithfully kept the 
sacred trust given him by the dying priest who had said : " I 
confide to you also my newly established congregation of the Sis- 
ters of the Child Jesus : this is the noblest inheritance you will 
receive from my profound friendship. Your zeal will cause it to 
prosper. Through love for the souls of poor children purchased 
with the blood of Jesus Christ, you will complete the work I 
have begun." No sooner had the worthy priest breathed his last 
than M. De La Salle took charge of the young Community . . . , 
This struggling society which M. Roland had so dearly loved, 

31 



/ 



32 Tlie Venerable Be La Salle. 

wliicli he had sustained with all his influence. . . . would have 
fallen shortly after him, had not their faithful friend come to their 
assistance. He procured them letters patent^ had them recognized 
as of public utility by the City Council, and ceased not to labor 
in their behalf till the Daughters of the Child Jesus were solidly 
established, when they justly considered their new protector 
a second Founder. So much interest in their welfare naturally 
required many visits to the Convent. One day as he approach- 
ed the convent he was met by two travellers careworn and fa- 
tigued : one was of mature years, the other young, apparently the 
elder's servant. In them, without knowing it, La Salle was greet- 
ing the first laborers in a vineyard over which he was soon to 
preside. Let us take a short glance, and see what had been 
done previously for the education of the poor ; what the state 
of education among the poor was, at the time of which we write. 

" Primary education begins with the Church. Christ was 
himself a teacher of the very elements of divine truth which He 
came to make known to men : his Apostles were the earliest 
Christian educators. The Church and the School have always 
been inseparable for the people. As time rolled on, and revolu- 
tion followed revolution, the Church clung to her divine mission 
to " go and teach ! " Even when success crowned her efforts, and 
princes encouraged her labors, she forgot not her calling. Her 
sons went forth, formed colonies, and exchanged the comforts of 
an established home for the miasma of the marsh and the ter- 
rors of the forest." 

" The pagan world had paid but littb if any attention to the 
instruction of the masses. The Church, on the other hand, 
had devoted herself unreservedly to the task for sixteen cen- 
turies : her councils obliged to this by the force of their laws ; 
Chapters of different churches looked upon it as a first duty, 
their treasures were poured out unstintingly in this noble cause : 
wherever the Church arose there were found men laboring Lir 



An Apijeal to Catholic Youth. 38 

the betterment of mankind, through the elevation of the stand- 
ard of intelligence among youth. 

"In her Alexandrian Schools, the Christian system absorbed 
every branch of learning The Koman Schools were on a hum- 
bler scale, but those who desire to know what they were like, 
at least in external foi-m, may satisfy their curiosity by a visii 
to the catacombs of St. Agnes, where several chambers may 
still be seen, with a seat and benches . . . which were intended 
for the master and his hearers." 

From Rome, pass over to Ireland. There the schools pre- 
served the whole world from falling into barbarism. " Colum- 
ba was the first to lead the way in whatever labors the 
monks engaged.". . . . He himself was a skilful penman . . . - 
and lona came to be looked upon as the chief seat of learn- 
ing, not only in Britain, but in the whole Western world. 
Thither, as from a nest, these sacred doves took their flight to 
every quarter. They studied the classics, the mechanical arts, 
law, history and physic. They improved the arts of husband- 
ry, .... supplied the rude people, whom they had undertaken 
to civilize, with ploughshares and other utensils of labor, and 
taught them the use of the forge, in the mysteries of which, 
every Irish monk was instructed from his boyhood. 

" The probability is," says the author of '* Christian Schools 
and Scholars,'' that Charlemagne established both a School and 
an Academy, and that the two institutions, though not identical, 
were directed by the same masters. . . The Academy was formed 
of the friends and courtiers of Charlemagne, while the School 

was for the education of youths chosen from all ranks, 

noble and simple.". . . ."Fail not to cultivate learning," said 
the Emperor Charlemagne, " with the humble intention of pleas- 
ing God. . .We wish to see you what soldiers of Christ ought 
to be — devout in life, learned in intercourse with the world, 
chaste in action, and scholars in conversation — so that all who 



34 The Venerahle De La Salle. 

approach you may be as much enlightened by your wisdom 
as they are edified by your holy life." In 789, an edict was pub- 
lished, requiring elementary schools to be attached to all mon- 
asteries and Catholic churches, ivithout exception, and that 
children of all ranks, both noble and servile should be received 
therein. The more important monasteries were to open High 
Schools, in which mathematics, astronomy, arithmetic, geo- 
metry, music and rhetoric would be taught." 

Passing from the Kingdom of Charlemagne to the realms 
of " Good King Alfred " of England, we find the Church equally 
solicitous. The history of this prince, and his noble efforts 
in the cause of learning, are so familiar to all readers that it may 
seem unnecessary to say much of the restoration of letters which 
took place during his reign, xllfred was told of Grimbald who 
was renowned for his knowledge of the Scriptures and his profi- 
ciency in musical science, and for this purpose he dispatched an 
embassy to the Archbishop of Eheims begging that the learned 
monk might be sent to him without delay. . . . Grimbald arrived 
in England in 884, and began to teach, ... in the schools opened 
by Alfred at Oxford. ... A small number of French monks were 
placed by Alfred in the monastery newly erected in the Isle of 
Athelney. . . . The direction of the Court School was given to 
Asser, a monk whose fame had reached Alfred from afar. . . . Not 
only princes, and the sons of the nobility, but many also of hum- 
ble rank, received their education in these literary nestlings. 

" If ive jyiit together the different classes of schools enumerated, it 
will, I think, appear that in the loth Century, England loas as well 
'provided iviththe Tueans of ediix^ation, for rich and poor, as she is at 
the present day." (1) 



(1) "Christian Schools and Scholars." We cannot suggest any more instructive reading, 
any that will show boAV faithfully the Chnrch, in keeping with the means at her disposal, 
cared for and instructed the people. It is a complefe, exhaustive answer to the many trivial 
scribblers who talk about the Church loving ignorance, and fearing the light ; these forget 
that it is to the Church, and to her alone, we owe the preservation of letters and sciences. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 35 

And thus the Churcli has accomplished her mission in every 
part of the world — whenever and wherever she was at liberty 
to do good, her first attention was devoted to the children. So 
prospered affairs till the dark cloud of the Reformation came to 
break up long established monastic schools, and to scatter the 
teachers. We do not propose to enter into details here, suffice 
it to say, that wherever the Church was dethroned, the rights 
of the poor were forgotten. In no countries in the world were the 
people so much neglected as in those where they had been in- 
duced to give up the old faith, and with this faith, all the priv- 
ileges it claimed for the poor. Moreover, the education most of 
the poor could obtain, previous to the invention of printing, was 
very limited. Guttenberg's invention of the types, and Colum- 
bus' discovery of America, both Catholic achievements, opened a 
new field for the lower classes. It was the mission of the Vener- 
able De La Salle to supply this want first for France, after which 
he would furnish a large portion of teachers to the entire world. 

When the Venerable undertook to form his first disciples, 
primary education was at a low ebb in his native country. Be- 
fore studying their own language, French boys were obliged to 
learn how to read Latin. However strange this may appear, 
it was universally the case. Thus, years were spent in acquiring 
the mere ability to read a language they never understood. 
This the Venerable changed, though in doing so, he was op- 
posed by all past experience, and by many even of his chief 
helpers and friends. But, De La Salle had an educational 
genius : in this as in so many other things, he quietly pursued 
his course, allowing the world to talk. Later, he published his 
reasons, through respect for an eminent Bishop who opposed the 
change, and required the Venerable to explain his motives 
for what was termed an innovation. This the humble servant 
of God did with such clearness, as fully to convince the most 
sceptical of the wisdom which guided him in his new methods. 



36 The Venerable De La Salle. 

Again, previous to his time the indiyidiial method of teaching- 
was almost universally pursued, or where this was not the 
case, large numbers of children were gathered into one large 
room, where they were separately taught, each pupil going to 
the teacher in turn, while the balance either remained in ab- 
solute idleness, or if the master had not sufficient control, 
amused themselves to the great annoyance of the child who was 
receiving a lesson. 

It will easily be seen that this plan did not produce satisfac- 
tory results, and in most cases the number of children was 
extremely limited. Moreover, even such schools were not 
numerous at that time for the poor. In some cities, despite 
the opposition of the Church, attendance at poor schools was 
considered disgraceful, and so far was this spirit carried, that 
in the City of Eouen, poor scholars were obliged to announce 
the fact by bearing a band about their caps with the name poor 
scholar written or printed upon it. The Venerable was to 
change all this. Under his gentle sway, the poor were to be the 
favorites. As beautifully expressed in his Bule, he required 
that " the Brothers should have an equal affection for all their 
pupils, but especially for the poor." 

But, it was in his methods that he proved himself the child's 
greatest friend. Instead of the awkward school-room previously 
described, where one child was heard at a time, De La Salle 
first received all who presented themselves, in the schools whicli 
he established in various parts of France. He then examined 
each pupil carefully, and had him placed in a separate class- 
room under a competent Brother. Here, the child was again 
examined, and placed in the section of that class for which he 
was best fitted. It is said that so great was the progress thus 
obtained that in a very short time, the Brothers' schools were 
overcrowded. The wealthy had no objection to their children 
associating with the poor, when they found that all were treat- 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 37 

ed with equal kindness. And here, speaking of the kindness of 
De La Salle and his disciples, it must be said to his and their 
honor, that in the first regulations made, there is no question of 
corporal punishment, the only penances named therein being 
such as would make the pupils repair their faults by performing 
some task, committing to memory some lines that referred to 
the nature and danger of the fault committed. Nor was it long 
before such paternal treatment had its effect. Many of the best 
class of boys became so attached to their masters as to wish to 
join them by embracing their, manner of life. Thus it was 
that the holy Founder established his Junior or Preparatory 
Novitiates. The same practice holds in the Institute to-day ; 
and if any of our young readers wish to see thirty or more 
of the happiest boys in the world, they need but visit the Bro- 
thers' Preparatory Novitiates of Montreal, New York, or Bal- 
timore. 

We must not, however, imagine that all this good was accom- 
plished without trouble. Scarcely had the first successes been 
achieved when the writing masters attacked De La Salle and his 
Brothers as being illegally employed in teaching. So far did 
they go in their opposition, that they drove the Brothers from 
their schools in Paris, and threw the furniture into the street. 
Patiently were these and similar attacks borne up against, till 
better days shone, and the classes w^ere re-opened. Perhaps, 
when we come to learn the character of the work done by these 
writing masters, we will partly excuse, or at least understand 
their opposition. As their name indicates, the writing masters 
t?i.ught some few the art of penmanship for a stipulated sum — 
of course, this debarred the poor from learning. Moreover, all 
who were ignorant of writing, and these were extremely numer- 
ous, employed the masters to do all their correspondence, etc. 
When De La Salle undertook to teach every child to do what 
had been almost a close secret, we can well understand the dis- 



38 The Venerable De La Salle, 

may of tliose who for years had charged what they pleased, 
and had looked upon their business as almost an inalienable 
right. Within twenty years after the establishment of the 
Brothers' schools in any city, the writing masters found their 
occupation gone. 

Five years had thus elapsed : the schools were a success, the 
Brothers seemingly happy, when an unexpected and trying 
occasion presented itself. Here is how the matter is described 
in the Life and Work of the Venerable De La Salle. 

" The year 1684 may justly be termed the sad year in the 
history of France. Several seasons of insufficient crops had 
rendered provisions as scarce as they were dear. From all the 
surrounding villages, hundreds of poor persons crowded into 
the cities, and Eheims had the appearance of a vast pauper- 
house. Most of the middle and lower classes were reduced to 
beggary, as all work had ceased. Even many rich people were 
brought to the utmost state of misery. Religious communities, 
to whom want had hitherto been unknown, were forced to part 
with their most costly furniture, in exchange for bread. So 
afflicting a year was one in which the Abbe De La Cille could 
part with his goods, without going far to find ready receivers. 
He was now to remove a difficulty he had shortly before writ- 
ten about. ' My mouth, ' he said ' is closed : I have no right to 
speak the language of perfection to my teachers ; nor can I tell 
them of poverty while I am possessed of a rich patrimony, 
which precludes the possibility of want. How can I speak to 
them of abandonment to Providence, while I am provided against 
indigence ? ' ' No other reliance than Providence is suited to 
the Christian schools,' De La Salle had been told, by those whom 
he consulted. He determined to act on the suggestion. Accord- 
ingly, he divided his fortune into four parts : the first purchased 
food for his poor scholars, and assisted the Sisters of the Child 
Jesus : the second was given to the outside poor, who were first 



A71 Appeal to Catholic Youth. 39 

taught catechism for a few moments before each distribution ; 
the third part was given to females in distress, the fourth was 
distributed among the bashful poor. Every effort was made 
to find these deserving persons without being discovered by 
them. His former enemies who had been most bitter in their 
assaults were the chief objects of his liberality." But, when 
they saw their beloved father and founder reduced to a state of 
poverty like themselves, these timorous teachers became more 
confident, for the Venerable 's instructions now fell upon hearts 
that had been moved by the power of example to follow their 
master in all things." The same author, speaking of the state of 
the Institute at the time of which we write, quotes from Monta- 
lembert who says in his Monks of the West : "No monastic insti- 
tution has ever failed which had for its corner stone faith, 
poverty for its walls, and modesty for its roof." These were the 
three virtues in which the Abbe De La Salle centred his hopes. 
They were therefore built upon the foundations against which 
the waters and winds beat without avail. His whole career and 
that of his disciples was inspired by the first of these great 
virtues ; poverty was seen in everything connected with his 
foundations, while modesty in word and work was so conspic- 
uous as to make the new religious a spectacle to angels and men. 
Not content with having become as poor, or even poorer than 
his children, DeLa Salle gave repeated evidence that the master 
did not consider himself greater than the disciple ; his every act 
proved that on the contrary he looked upon himself as one 
destined to labor as the servant of all. Whenever a Brother 
fell ill, he hastened to replace him in the class room, where, as 
has been so lovingly dilated upon by all his biographers, he was 
distinguished from all his disciples by the gentle gravity of his 
looks and words, the charity of his proceedings, the zeal which 
shone forth as characteristic of his every movement. When he 
returned from such hours of his labor of love, his disciples 



40 Hie Venefi^ahh De La Salle. 

eagerly gathered about aud questioned him on the results of 
his efforts. He took special delight in detailing all his little 
plans for success to the younger Brothers, to whom he was 
strongly attached. For these he would enter into details, re- 
peat explanations and devise plans such as could only proceed 
from the mind of an educational genius, filled with the love of 
God and its sister virtue, affection for his neighbor, especially of 
that part nearest and dearest to the Sacred Heart of Jesus , the 
portion which he came chiefly to protect, and Avhich he declared 
to be the model upon which all must form themselves, to be of the 
kingdom of heaven. De La Salle in thought word and deed was 
the special friend of childhood, such his whole life demonstrates ! 
Thus, though he had unlimited confidence in his Brothers, in 
their virtue which he had seen tried by so many serious difiicul- 
ties, yet he was not satisfied till he had made the cause of the 
children doubly certain. His Institute was solely and entire- 
ly founded for the benefit of youth, especially of the poor. 
Not content then, with giving his Brothers the ordinary vows 
of poverty, chastity and obedience as practised by other Insti- 
tutes, he desired to secure the services of his disciples for life, and 
thus he added the vows of teaching gratuitously and this 
for a life-time, by the super-added vow of stability. And in 
this his views agreed perfectly with those afterwards expressed 
by the Holy Father in his Bull of Approbation, where he shows 
liis exalted idea of the vocation of the Brothers of the Chris- 
tian Schools, decreeing that no Brother shall leave the Order, 
even for the purpose of entering a more rigorous Institute, an 
exception made for very few religious bodies in the Church. 
His Holiness, with all his successors, including the gloriously 
reigning Leo XIII wisely concluded that the education of youth 
is one of the most important works in which a religious can be 
engaged. The more fully to imbue his disciples with a most ex- 
alted idea of their vocation, he had prepared a special series 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 41 

of Meditations on tlis Christian and religious teacher's work. 
In these touching pages he tells the Brother of the Christian 
Schools that ''it is God himself who, in his Providence estab- 
lished the Christian Schools." He then enters into prolong- 
ed details of " the means which should be employed by those 
who are charged with the Christian education of youth." To 
encourage those who embrace so arduous a calling he assures 
them that "they are co-workers with Christ in saving souls, " 
and further tells them that '* those who are chosen by Provi- 
dence to educate youth, act the part of guardian angels ," and 
he proves this most beautifully in the 6th meditation of tlifr 
series. As though this were not sufficient, he continues his^ 
argument by showing that " the educator's office is most ne- 
cessary to the Church." While thus raising the profession of 
the Christian teacher to the height to which religion and jus- 
tice demand that it be elevated, he likewise most eloquently 
urged upon his sons the essential truth that to be worthy of 
their sublime calling they should discharge their duties with 
great zeal, the motives for which devotedness he draws from the 
example of our Divine Lord and of his apostles, one of whom,, 
though not among the first twelve, could say of his dispositions,. 
" I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls." 
Pursuing the thread of his subject, he still further teaches that 
the truly zealous master will warn and correct his pupils and 
he gives the wisest possible rules for carrying out this form of 
what may almost be termed fraternal correction." The holy 
founder next enters into details likely to inspire every Chris- 
tian and religious teacher with holy awe, when he treats of 
the account an educator must give to God of the manner in 
which he acquits himself of his employment. When treating 
of the chief head of this accountability, we see the true idea 
which the Venerable had of the Brothers' work. All that re- 
lates to religion and its practices holds the foremost rank, yet 



42 The VenemUe Be La Salle. 

without failing to impress upon his disciples, that to be true to 
their calling, their classes must be genuine nurseries of secular 
as well as religious learning. He goes so far as to accuse him 
of theft who neglects his duty in teaching secular branches, 
since this is one of his essential duties if he wishes to keep his 
pupils and their parents satisfied. Neither does the Yener- 
able fail to impress upon his sons that " those who shall have 
educated youth may expect a recompense even in this life." 
But, after having treated of this subject cursorily, he takes up 
the more consoling argument as to " the recompense which a 
faithful Brother of the Christian Schools may expect in heaven." 
*' When the prince of pastors shall appear, 3^ou shall receive a 
never-fading crown of glory," upon which he proceeds to say : 
" Oh ! what a happiness is in store for a good Brother of the 
Christian Schools ! What shall be his feelings, when surround- 
ed by his numerous pupils, all like himself safe in their eternal 
home, they will admit that through the merits of Jesus Christ, 
^applied through their masters, they have been saved. What a 
combination of unalloyed rejoicing sliall then be seen between 
master and pupils. What union, in God, between souls thus 
gathered in the bonds of love and gratitude ! What happiness 
he shall experience conversing upon the riches of his inheritance 
in the Saints. 

" The crown shall be proportioned to the labor sustained, the 
victories won, the fatigues endured. Hence all these trials may 
be considered as so many sources of rejoicing. Our zeal must 
herein find food upon which to strengthen itself against difficul- 
ties, obstacles and persecutions. After such a career, the true 
Brother will be able unceasingly to proclaim in a better land ; 
^I exceedingly abound ivith joy, because of all our tribulations.''' 

Perhaps, in all the literature of the Institute there will not be 
found a more touching page than that in which he who is so justly 
<salled the second founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 43 

Christian Schools, speaks of the noble work done by the master 
who is worthy of his calling. Not one of our young readers 
will be able to scan those touching lines without feeling how truly 
Brother Philippe understood the views of the holy Founder. He 
is speaking of the young child who for the first time presents 
himself at the door of a Christian school. 

"Look at that child who enters your class for the first time ! 
Does he not seem to say in his own childlike way : Brother, I 
am hungry, will you not give me that spiritual bread which 
nourishes souls ? I am a poor exile, far from my native land, will 
you not guide me thither, and give me back once more to the 
bosom of father and mother ? Many and wicked enemies pursue 
me ; will you not give me arms with which I may defend mj^self ? 
Look at me. Brother ; see how weak I am, will you not help 
me to gain strength ? I am blind, also, and must ask you to re- 
store my sight. Finally, Brother, I have thus far lost my way, — 
the path that leads to my heavenly home ; will you not help 
me to once more find the beaten road ? " 

"Ah," continues the eloquent general, " how little faith, charity 
and zeal he would possess who could listen unmoved to such a 
tale ! What a hardened heart he must have who could prove 
callous to such prayers ! What a traitor to God and his neighbor 
would that brother be who, having it in his power to take such 
a child, and to lead it gently by the hand like a visible guardian 
angel, and who. instead, would drive the imploring youth from 
his presence, or worse, only keep him, to lead him astray. 

"All our pupils will not certainly profit by our lessons, but, 
the traveller who has set stakes behind him, will easily find the 
right road anew. Sailors may be wrecked ; but he who has 
learned to swim will rise to the surface, seize some object to 
buoy himself up with, and wait for help. Thus it is with a 
child instructed in his religion and who has learned how to pray. 
Thus it will ever be with the boy who has had the supreme hap- 



44 The Ve7ierable Be La Salle. 

piness to make a good first communion, wlio Lias learned the 
power of Mary Immaculate, the consolation derived from recit- 
ing her rosary, and from being vested in her holy liverj- of the 
Scapular, Oar children have come to us, their parents have 
given them in our keeping in the firm conviction that they will 
be furnished with all these helps by teachers, Christian in name 
and in practice. Brothers in genuine affection, devotedness and 
self-sacrifice in behalf of youth." T ell me, young reader, is not 
such a mission a grand one? Could the Almighty better show 
His love than by inviting any of His chosen sons to pursue such 
a life, filled with such noble objects and ends ? 

It was with similar thoughts and principles that De La Salle 
had filled the minds and hearts of his own disciples. It was 
thus that for forty years he realized a work so great and ex- 
tensive that, as lately asserted by one who watched the Insti- 
tute at work in the Eternal City, he never realized the growth 
his humble work was to attain. Let us glance at the various 
classes of teaching he inaugurated. 

Here is the summary made by the Inspector General of Ed- 
ucation in France, who says : "The illustrious Founder of the 
Brothers of the Christian Schools was the pioneer of popular 
Education not only in France, but in all Europe. With one 
master-stroke, he founded Seminaries for country teachers. Nor- 
mal Institutes for city masters. Boarding Schools in which every- 
thing relating to commerce, finance, military engineering, archi- 
tecture and mathematics was taught . . . and in which trades 
could be learned . . . Finally, an Institution in which agriculture 
was taught as a science. In those words, the Abbe De La 
Salle, at a single casting brought forth from the mould, schools 
for the poor. Primary Normal Colleges, Superior or Higher 
Training Schools for specific subjects, Technical Institutions, 
Agricultural Colleges, in which last, the cultivation of land was 
studied on a scientific basis. 



Ah Appeal to Vatholic Youth, 45 

Trai-uiiig ScLools were opened by tiie Yeuerable De La Salle 
for the Puke de Mazariu, for the pastor of tlie Parish of St. 
Hippoljte iu Paris, aud iu the district of Rethel. The clergy 
iu these different places bore the chief expense of these foun- 
dations. Besides, a similar Training School was opened by the 
Venerable for his own Brothers. 

Boarding Schools were opened in several places, notably at 
St. Yon, near Eouen at the urgent request of wealthy parents 
who insisted that it was unjust to reserve such excellent teaching 
solely for the poor. A similar foundation was that opened 
for the young Irishmen who came with their parents into France 
after the downfall of James II. of England. Among these 
young men was the ancestor of Marshal McMahon. In this 
school the young gentlemen completed the education needed to fill the 
various offices of trust for which they ivere destined. 

The most noted Technical School opened by De La Salle was 
the Christian Academy in Paris. No one under twenty was 
received. Those admitted were taught all classes of drawing, 
higher mathematics and several languages. This school count- 
ed over a hundred students. At the close of the lessons, Cate- 
chism was taught. 

Agriculture was pursued at St. Yon, and a part of the large 
garden was devoted to the growth of botanical specimens. 

Of a similar class to the three above named Institutions is the 
present Ecole St. Nicholas, divided into three courses. When 
called upon lately by the Austrian committee for an introduc- 
tion to the best schools of science, art and agriculture, M. Ferry, 
Minister, told them to visit and study the Brothers' three 
branches of the St. Nicholas Technical School, adding " I know 
nothing equal to this school in Europe." 

We have seen how far ahead of all Elementary schools were 
those of De La Salle in his time. The Institute has not de- 
generated. Its schools for the people are still the best in France. 



i6 The Venerable De La Salle. 

Public tests have shown this for the last thirty-five years. 
During this time, the Brothers' Paris schools have secured 
nearly a thousand out of the twelve hundred and odd purses 
offered to deserving scholars in poor schools. The competitions 
have always been made by Government officials. 

The results of the examination we here republish. Paris 
is taken as a specimen of the work done elsewhere. The 
same results have been achieved, the same success secured, 
wherever public investigation has sought to compare the work 
done by the Brothers with that performed by secular compet- 
itors. 

Here is the official result as given by the Inspector Gener- 
als from 1848 till the closing year herein named. When we 
Ti^member that seculars had more schools, fewer pupils per 
teacher, hence a better chance to advance the individual 
scholar, and as a rule, a richer class of scholars to select from, 
we will be the better able to appreciate the results ; 



.47 



a. 


PL4 


s 




Oh 




(l4 


^ 


'■'^^ 


<«A^ 


«*i'^^ 


<^A^ 


~'^rf^ 


, . 


- -. 


- ■* 


1-1 tH 


CI 


00 <M 


CO t- 
co 


tHOS 
CO 


s=° 



P4 






2 " 



^-3 
P o 



Mcc pq 



2^ 
S " 

tl (D 

pqas 

O 
CO 



<ri 



cS 



p u 



w ; >« 






I'3 

P o 



Wm PQoo 



1 O CO 



«a2 



l'3 

S " 

^ a;) 
Mm 



lO 






PQcc 






^-2 



WoQ P5a2 



•tj Id 
S « 

MCB 



48 



1J 



< 

&^ 
o 

m 

o 
o 

ai 

X 

H 
i-i 
O 

^ CO 

Ft -' 

H ^' 

Is] rl 

^ nT 

O S 

t3 

< iH 

M «- 
H 

M ^ 

Q "=* 
(si 

1-1 ^ 
-^ ei' 
H . 

o 



CO 



■ o* 



^5 

fflaj 



i-i 



■* •' 



2 « 
hQoq 



c< 



^3 

og 

« 

CD 
00 



£?= £ ?= 



-SI 

fpco 



50 1-i CO 



2 « 

Wqq 



'-=; !5 



04 



^-5 


A^ 


^45 


1^ 3 


■*^ 3 


-« 3 


p O 


o o 


O o 


£j ® 


U m 


u ^ 


PQgc 


moQ 


mc» 






i-i i-i 









C ""i 






02 




OJ 


aa 


3 


fH^ 


(1. 


£ >. 


— '— s 


^ jZ 


» r-i 


e8 


<M r-( 


r-irC 


. . >• 


5 s* 


■o 




05 , 


_ c 


eo . 


.^ o 


• ao 


-tj 


' CO 




H : 


^ 


w" ■ 


0) 


eo__ • 


ft^ 


lO* • 


O O 


CO • 


t^}. 




fl 00 o: 


co" . 




CO^ 1 


were 
good 
resul 


CO .' 


^"■"^S * 

•^ ^ ^ 


■ ^ 


f- ^ i? 


eo 


p,®-^ 


• Oi 




• c^_ 


'•-1 EC C3 


' oo" 


O 


• (?»_ 


r3 ® (^ 


' t-^ 


' <M 


"3 t» T" 


CI 


jj (D O 


firs 
Mor 
foil 


uo • 


a> <B 


■*" • 


XI .^ 


(N • 


from t 
tudies 
acks, t 


eo" . 


.03,0 


„ 


<D^ >■ 


r-l 1 


g ° s 


P 0) ^ 


O • 


g«^ 


(N • 


SgS 


a> ' 


O J? 0) 


r^ 


o «^ 




^^^ 


• 00 


• IH 


:s*= a 


t-" ■ 


>.5^ 


F-H . 


•^■c a 


• to 



^ (V <^ 

OP.-" 

<D It 

■*j u ^ 

SB", 

.Sao 
fe w a 

■* Vl Jh 

- OJ 3 

C «M O 

CO O-w 

"ill 

2 f^° 

^ ® ? 

."^ 1=1 



■*^ 3 

PQaj 



3 L* "H 



3 =s 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 49 

Sucli was and is the work done by the Brothers in their pa- 
rochial schools. But, their holy Founder gives them a broader 
field in which to garner in souls to God. He states that the 
Brothers are particiikirly intended for the poor, but, all through 
his writings, he shows that the rich and otherwise worldly 
fortunate, are to be given the benefit of his improved methods. 
Every grade of practical education is embraced in his sys- 
tem. In his admirable enterprise, children are to be taught to 
admire all that there is in this world lovely or lowly, created by 
the good God for man's use and benefit. He was the first 
to suggest that pupils should be taken to Expositions where 
the masters should show^ everything interesting to their pupils. 
"Where zoological gardens were accessible he desired the pupils 
to be taken there on recreation days. He required the Brothers 
to explain all the uses and benefits to be found for each animal 
or plant. Thus, over two hundred years ago he had organ- 
ized the system of object lessons, which some persons pretend 
is a modern progressive step. Indeed, such claimants forget 
that our Divine Lord, who was the most perfect teacher, re- 
peatedly gave object lessons in his public career, when he pre- 
sented the child as man's model, when he called upon his hear- 
ers to examine the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, as 
containing so many lessons in themselves which would teach 
man to raise his mind and heart to the Author of every good and 
perfect gift, by the study of the beautiful things which the 
world presents to our contemplation, and which are made to 
render life more happy and agreeable, provided we use these 
creatures of God, in him and for him : in him by constantly re- 
membering his holy presence ; for him hj using these solely 
and exclusively for his greater honor and glory, and one's own 
salvation. It was by teaching his pupils to raise their hearts 
in grateful aspirations to the Most High that the Venerable 
sought to form a pious generation, or, as expressed lately by our 



50 The Venerable De La SaEe. 

Most Holy Father ; it was thus lie sought to make education 
christian. Such, again, was the Yenerable's practice in his var- 
ious schools at St. Yon. There, he had his flower and seed gar- 
den, where Nature's choicest fruit and flowers were grown to 
please the eye and reasonably gratify the palate. " That nation 
is safe m which agriculture is in honor," so said an ancient 
philosopher ; so believed M. De La Salle, as we have already 
seen by the fact of his opening special classes where the cul- 
tivation of the land was pursued on a scientific basis. In his 
own way and measure, he and his disciples have followed the 
steps of the Benedictines, thrice blessed men in name as in 
deed, in the work they did, in the use they made of the wealth 
thus acquired, in the oft-spoken blessing called upon them by 
the objects of their largesses. And thus, again, like their di- 
vine model, De La Salle and his disciples went about, and have 
since continued to go about, " doing good." 

But, what shall we say of his School of Discipline, where 
sons of wealthy parents were received — here was indeed a task 
according to his own heart, in which he did his work so well as 
to be spoken of through France as the great reformer of youth. 
His plan was extremely simple, yet at once won the hearts of 
the young culprits. He refused, in their presence, to hear them 
spoken of harshly : in most cases, he apparently doubted the un- 
favorable accounts given him ; he professed himself, and readily 
became the advocate of all his young Avards. Most of their fail- 
ings he attributed to those who were the first to complain of 
what resulted from their own misdirection. Instead of a prison, 
ho prepared a quiet, fairly comfortable cell for each culprit. 
On the walls were panels, and in these nails or pegs : near the 
window the newly admitted noticed stands which seemed intend- 
ed for flowers. Cages were also there, at times, buu these were 
empty. Strangely impressed by so many evidences of good things 
absent, the youthful offenders usually inquired, and soon learn- 



An Appeal to Catholic YoviTu 51 

ed that all those vacancies would be filled as soon as their own 
conduct would justify such treatment. Thus it was that the plea- 
sant chirp of the bird was given in exchange for the avoidance 
of profane or improper words : the panels were graced with 
pleasant pictures as soon as the juvenile offender had won back 
his place in the folds of a father's arms or in the recesses of a 
mother's heart by a frank avowal of previous wrong doing. The 
flowers bloomed in their prison vases as soon as habits of in- 
dustry replaced olden-time indolence, and thus imperceptibly, 
the delinquents of the School of Discipline at St. Yon became 
model young gentlemen, who were generally removed for a 
time to the rooms and classes of the boarding-school proper, 
on another part of the grounds, and next, to the bosom of their 
delighted families. Such is the evidence furnished by ocular 
witn^ses of the methods adopted by the Venerable De la Salle 
in his School of Discipline. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTITUTION 
AT ST. YON. 



1. Botanical and Horticultural Garden. 

2. College Play-grounds. 

3. Yard and Workshops. 

4. College Yard and Infirmary Building. 

5. Residence of Aged and Servant Brothers. 

6. College Class-rooms. 

7. Rooms of the Correctional Department. 

8. Yard of the Correctional Department. 

9. Parlors. 

10. Chapel. A, Brothers' Place; B, Pupils' Place; C, Public. 

11. Gallery for the Prisoners. 

12. Chapel Court. 

13. Entrance Yard. 

14. Store-room. 

15. Wardrobe. 

16. Cemetery. / 

17. School of Discipline. 

18. Yard and Buildings of the Novitiate. 

19. Brothers' Infirmary. / 

20. Cell of the Ven. De La Salle. 

21. Cell of a Servant Brother. 

22. Horse and Cow Stables. ^ 

23. Barn Yard and Watering Trough. 

24. Barns, Mills and sundry other Buildings. 

25. Laundry and Drying Room. 

26. Fruit and Vegetable Garden. 

27. Meadow. 

28. House beyond the enclosure — rented out. — Basement of the square 

building used as Kitchen, Refectory, Bakery and Cellar. 



54: The Venerable Be La SaUe. 

If we pursue our examination still further, we shall find the 
man of God striving to make the school a happy place. It was 
his desire that children should learn from every blade, leaf or 
flower, to love God who made these and all other things. 
Wherever the Cross shines in the mid-day sun, there will a 
Christian School be found. Even in the Chinese Empire, in the 
wilds of the Madagascar swamps the sons of La Salle are per- 
petuating the good work. A pleasant occurrence from the last 
named island may fittingly close a chapter, which, despite its 
length has barely been opened. In this, as in so many other in- 
stances, the riches of our subject must consist in " the number 
of things left unsaid." 

"A treaty of commerce was established between France and 
Madagascar, in 1868. There were two copies to be made : 
that of France was drawn up by the Chancellor of the Con- 
sulate, while Queen Eanavalona was determined that hers 
should not be inferior in beauty of caligraphy. It was a ques* 
tion of state, in which the distant but dusky friends of France 
did not wish to hold the second place. The queen's Prime 
Minister first visited the Protestant schools, and each famous 
caligraphist gave a specimen of his ability, without satisfying 
the exacting examiner. An officer who accompanied him, and 
who had seen the Brothers* schools, bethought him of a young 
lad named Marc Eabily-Kely, whose copy he had greatly ad- 
mired. When called into the presence of the minister. Marc 
gave some off-hand specimens of running-style, gothic, round 
and lady's hand. At the sight of such characters, new to the 
oldest inhabitant. Marc Eabily-Kely was declared superior to 
all the copyists of Tananariva, and acknowledged the first pen- 
man of Madagascar; He was at once employed to copy the 
treaty in the language of the island. He was kept busily engag- 
ed an entire day and night, for the document was lengthy, and 
time pressed. He finished his task at four in the morning with- 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 55 

out a mistake or an erasure. When the hour arrived for the sign- 
ing of the copies, the French commissioner placed his copy on the 
table in presence of the queen and principal personages of the 
island. Eanavalona's secretary opened a large portfolio, and 
placed his copy beside the other, and, with a triumphant laugh, 
^ he said : ' Look ! which is the better copy ?' All cried out, 
',' Resy ny vasoha:' * The whites are beaten.' When the hero 
of the occasion was introduced, an outburst of applause wel- 
comed him. The French commissioner gave him one hundred 
francs, to which the queen added four hundred. He also re- 
ceived a pension of twelve measures of rice, two slaves for his 
service, and the right, if he chose, to remain twenty years in 
the Brothers' schools. The queen sent her chief officers to 
thank Marc's teachers, and Kely's name was proclaimed in all 
parts of the city of Tananariva by a public crier. This young 
man was sent to Paris, to receive a higher course of instruction 
in the Brothers' College of St. Paul," 



CHAPTEE rV^ 

Spirit and Virtues of the Venerable De La Salle. — The true test of great- 
nesa. — Worldlings judged by their exterior. — Why this difference of 
treatment is necessary.- — La Salle's attachment to the Church. — 
Proofs of the purity of his faith. — Why he gave his Brothers '' the 

; Spirit of Faith " as the S2nrit of their state. — His ruling virtue strong 

in death. — His unlimited confidence in God. — Exalted idea which 
faith made him form of the Christian teacher's dignity; nobility of 
the 3Iission. — His constant practice of the renovation of God's holy 
presence. — Effect of his exterior conduct upon strangei^s. — Sinners 
seek him for convei^sion ; holy persons to learn the ways of God in 
spiritual direction. — His manner of reciting the Divine Office. — 

- Respect for the Sacred Vessels, relics and other holy things. — Pover- 
ty everywhere except in decorating the house of God, and his Mercy 
Throne, the Altar. — 3Ianner of wearing the Soutane. — Examples of 
his watchfulness over himself in all these points. 

lu tlie lives of men whom the world claims as its own, great- 
est interest is found in the recital of those deeds which have 
immortalized their name. The chief study in their career con- 
sists in discovering the means by which they reached the pin- 
nacle of worldly glory, the circumstances which helped them to 
attain success, the difficulties over which their genius has tri- 
umphed. 

The historian of such lives is wholly occupied with their 
public acts ; their private existence is but of secondary impor- 
tance ; often prudence requires us to place a veil over that por- 
tion of their course which, if closelv examined, would de- 
prive them of their fame in the estimation of truly Christiau 
hearts. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 57 

How different it is with the Saints ! It is only by entering 
into the recesses of their lives, by examining the purity of 
their motives, the unseen good which thoy accomplished, that 
we learn to value them at their true worth. Properly to test 
their standing, we must read their lives by the light, and weigh 
their acts in the scales of the Sanctuary. Such is especially 
the case in the life and work of the Yenerable De La Salle. 
Much as this benefactor of mankind has done for sociGty, we 
but partially understand his character and appreciate his mo- 
tives till we lift the veil of modesty and humility with which 
he screened his inner life from the gaze of the world by which 
he was surrounded. Much as we admire the work he estab- 
lished, we shall only fully measure its extent and meaning 
when we follow the holy Founder into his chamber, watch him 
at prayer, or shudder at the sight of his self-imposed mortifi- 
cations. Greatly as we admire the wisdom of his rule, its 
spirit, its full bearing will only become known when we come 
to learn that most of its precepts were determined after long 
and weary vigils in which the blood of sacrifice was added to 
the lever of meditation. Greatly as we admire the wisdom of 
his school regulations and methods, we can really seize upon 
and grasp their ample bearing and the blessing which attaches 
to their adoption when we learn that the Venerable was 
accustomed to remain for hours motionless, entirely ab- 
sorbed in the study of his disciples in the class-room, after 
which he retired to his cell, and having implored the light ol 
heaven by fervent prayer, then formed laws for the guidance 
of his teachers, laws of such consummate wisdom that they 
have never been equalled. 

We have already seen how great and useful a work the Yen- 
erable has accomplished ; it now remains to find by what means, 
beyond mere human skill and intelligence, he succeeded to such 
an unexpected degree. In his case as in every other where the 



58 The Venerable Be La SciRe. 

work to be done was the work of God, shall we find that the wis- 
dom of the world is folly with God : that the weak things of this 
world doth God employ to confound the strong ; that men's 
ways are not the Lord's, that the folly of the cross is the only 
true wisdom, that a work which is not founded on the cross is 
built upon a sandy foundation, that the arm of the Lord is 
never shortened, and when he finds a soul generous in its im- 
pulses, fixed in its purpose to serve him, faithful in corresponding 
with the vocation to which it is called, of such he makes a vessel 
of election to carry the light of divine truth. Christian instruction, 
to such as have hitherto wandered in the darkness of ignorance 
and death. Such in every particular shall we find the Vener- 
able De La Salle in the spirit by which he was animated, in 
the virtues which he practised. 

Before preaching, all the Saints exemplified in their own lives 

the truths and virtues which they exhorted others to embrace. 

Before giving his spiritual children the Spirit of Faith as the 

characteristic virtue of their state, he himself was " the just 

man who lives by faith." Faith was the ruling motive which 

made him see and adore God in all things. This virtue preserved 

him from the snares into which so many of his day fell , through 

the wiles of Jansenism. It was faith in the Church, and the 

teaching of her Supreme Pontiff, that made him accept the 

declarations of the Holy See, even when his own ecclesiastical 

superiors delayed in their submission. Boman priest was 

the common title which he added to his name, that all might 

know his attachment to the Chair of Peter ; and in dying, his last 

words were that his children " should never fail in their devot- 

eduess to Borne." Though a Doctor of Divinity, he carefully 

avoided all unnecessary discussion of disputed points, yet when 

duty called upon him to make open profession of his faith, 

pen and tongue combined to make known his sentiments. Silent 

as he usually was under calumny and reproach, he never suf- 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 59 

fered his devotion to the Church to be questioned. Among the 
few letters he wrote in self-defence, the most powerful was that 
in which he declared his abhorrence of the new doctrines, his 
inviolable attachment to the faith and doctrine of the Holy 
Koman Apostolic Church. Unmoved, he saw his prosperous 
Novitiate of Marseilles closed by the Jansenists, rather than 
comply in the least with their demands, and his greatest care 
and anxiety was to instruct his Brothers, and defend them 
against the snares of those who sought to entangle them in 
the new doctrines. The innovators knew well that if they could 
get so efi&cient a body of teachers in their interests, that 
their evil work would be greatly advanced. Thank heaven, 
to the zeal of the holy Founder, and the obedience of his 
children, the poison of Jansenism never entered the Insti- 
tute. Not satisfied with writing and exhortation, the venerable 
servant of God offered up the severest practices of penance and 
mortification in behalf of the afflicted Church, and in these was 
joined by all his spiritual children to such an extent, that both he 
and the ecclesiastical authorities were obliged to interfere, lest 
by the severity of their fasts and macerations, the Brothers 
might unfit themselves for the arduous duties of the class-room. 
This spirit of faith and union with the Church, led him to 
manifest his devotedness to her spirit in every particular. 
Thus, having been invited by the pastor of a church in Calais to 
sing high Mass on the feast of the Assumption of the M. B. Vir- 
gin Mary, he accepted ; but, to his great surprise, the pastor in 
his sermon never even alluded to the prerogatives of Mary, as 
indicated in this great festival. The Venerable plainly indi- 
cated his displeasure, which the pastor perceiving, could only 
remove by promising to repair his fault on the following Sunday, 
which he did to the ^reat astonishment of his flock, hitherto un- 
accustomed to hearing their pastor speak in such glowing 
terms of the glory of our Immaculate Queen. 



60 The Venerable De La Salle. 

But, to have faith, and to live hj faith are quite different things. 
To live by faith is to make it the rule and principle of one's con- 
duct, actions and sentiments ; it must direct our desires, projects 
and undertakings. This life of faith gives a vivifying sap to all 
one's actions and thoughts; in this case, the virtue of faith 
rules as mistress of our heart; it isconsulted in every difficulty, 
doubt and embarrassment ; in one word, when living by faith 
we judge of nothing, determine upon no enterprise, do no 
action save through thoughts inspired by this lofty virtue, and by 
reasons suggested by Christian motives. It is the spirit of faith 
which raises the christian above himself by filling him with the 
spirit of Christ Jesus ; it is the thought of this Divine Saviour, 
his sentiments and his dispositions which make the soul, thus 
animated, live in a manner worthy of God, by leading a life al- 
together divine. 

Thus we find that the Venerable De La Salle looked upon all 
things by the light of faith ; everything was judged by super- 
natural light ; in his views, all things drew their value from the 
price placed upon them when weighed in the scales of this sub- 
lime virtue. Through the influence of this faith by which he was 
iinimated, he found himself raised above the false notions held 
by the world, ever on his guard against human motives or those 
dictated by worldly wisdom ; never imposed upon by personal 
interests ; ever vanquishing worldly maxims by the study of the 
gospel precepts, which he accepted as the unique rule of his 
life. From this came his wonderful confidence in God, his 
unalterable attachment to the divine will, as manifested in the 
various occurrences of life, causing him to exclaim '' God be 
blessed " in the midst of his trials and difficulties. 

It was this same spirit of faith which made him see Christ in 
the little ones instructed by his Brothers. He took the greatest 
pleasure in replacing his disciples in class, which he did with 
such modesty, zeal and patience, that it was impossible not to 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 61 

form the highest ideas of a position which he so singularly 
appreciated. 

He was persuaded that the office of Christian teacher is most 
necessary to the Church, and most valued in the sight of God, 
as may be seen in the decrees of Councils, and the example of 
the Saints. This employment, he felt, particularly demanded, 
the fulness of the spirit of faith, since without it, an office so 
august and divine in its bearings, becomes merely secular to 
the carnal eye. It was his desire that the Brothers should 
look upon themselves as the spiritual fathers of their chil- 
dren, the co-operators of Jesus Christ; imitators of the apos- 
tles, and of the greatest doctors, who considered it a sin- 
gular happiness to be employed in the nurseries of the Church 
and Society in which youth is brought up in the fear of the Lord, 
and the practice of every moral and social virtue. It is only this 
spirit of faith which can induce the Brother of the Christian 
Schools to look upon his class as a safe asylum, a refuge in which 
young souls, threatened with shipwreck at every moment, mar 
seek a safe harbor from the storms of uprising passions, and 
the force of the waves of evil habits. 

If such were his sentiments in regard to the school-room, we 
may without difficulty form an idea of the awe and respect with 
which he entered the holy place, either to lay his petitions- 
before God, or to lead his children thither, when after having 
placed them in their seats, he went to the altar, where he ap- 
peared more like a seraph than a man, such being the extraor- 
dinary devotion expressed on his countenance, that the pupils 
who were present were spell-bound by his appearance, and 
forgot all those little distractions and tricks which they are 
wont to be guilty of, even in the divine presence, through the 
thoughtlessness natural to their years. 

" "Where he entered the Church," says his earliest biographer,*' 
his modesty, reverence and holy fear struck every beholder. 



62 The Venerable De La Salle. 

warning him of the sanctity of God's house, and of the respect 
due thereto, while his appearance likewise reproached less 
reverent worshippers who happened to be in the divine presence. 

" Despite all efforts, the servant of God thus made himself 
known, and all who beheld him, sought an introduction. Even 
the most remote portions of France, whither he retired to be 
secluded from the many visitors who sought his advice and di- 
rection, his extraordinary piety in the Church made him known ; 
for, despite Lis humility, he felt obliged to give these external 
marks of respect and adoration. Those who beheld him could 
not withdraw their eyes from this stranger who gave such ex- 
traordinary proofs of his faith in the real presence of our 
Divine Lord in the holy Eucharist ; for his exterior bespoke the 
devotion of a saint, and the modesty of an angel. This impelled 
lookers-on to enquire who this edifying stranger was, — when 
they learned that he was the Founder of the Brothers of the 
Christian Schools, one of the most distinguished men of his 
time." 

It was evident in his every movement that he never lost the 
presence of God ; and his devotions performed out of the Church 
increased the conviction that before giving his spiritual chil- 
dren one of his most touching precepts* he must have faithfully 
realized it in his own person. Usually he recited his breviary 
kneeling ; rarely either standing or seated ; always bareheaded, 
not even wearing his beretta or skull-cap, despite the inclemency 
of seasons ; while the expression of his countenance was such dur- 
ing this holy exercise, as to convince every beholder that he fully 
appreciated the happiness of being thus associated with the 
entire Church, in her ministers, offering up unceasing prayer for 
the people, while he gave himself up unreservedly to these holy 

* " God's presence j-ou will duly keep, 
And thus immortal treasures reap." — {Morning Prayer.) 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 63 

transports so often remarked in his life, and which are the 
special gift of pure, detached souls. When he recited the 
Office with his dear novices, his piety was even more remark- 
able, for he strove to the fullest extent to carry out the wishes 
of the Church by reciting those soul-inspiring psalms, worthily, 
attentively and devoutly : ivorthily, by showing in his manner of 
expression that he knew to whom he was speaking, and that he 
never forgot the veneration due to the divine Majesty : attentive- 
ly ^ seeming to relish the expression of the sacred psalms, and to 
enter fully into the sentiments which they suggest to the soul 
that is filled by the Holy Spirit ; devoutly, by taking singular 
pleasure in this holy exercise, and never appearing more delight- 
ed than when thus engaged speaking to, and of God. To 
this enumeration we might add that he pronounced each word 
so distinctly, observed the pauses so punctually and required 
others to do the same that "as much time was occupied in 
chanting this short office of the M. B. Virgin, as is usually 
taken to sing the great office of the Church." The more fully 
to carry out this edifying manner of reciting Mary's praises, he, 
like the youngest novice, went to the centre of the chapel to 
kiss the floor whenever he made any mistake. 

His respect for holy things was most remarkable, and his 
desire to see the house of God fittingly cared for was such that 
despite his love and pratice of religious poverty, he con- 
sidered nothing too rich for the service of the altar, or the decor- 
ation of the chapel. This same spirit filled him with veneration 
for holy relics, sacred vessels, devotional pictures or statues, 
and especially for holy water, of which he constantly made 
use, and exhorted his inferiors to do likewise. No room was to 
be without its holy water font, and he required the Sign of the 
Cross to be made with every mark of attention and devotion, 
in which he was the first to practice what he preached. 

We have already seen how, even in youth, he took a holy 



64: The Venerable De La Salle. 

pleasure in the services of the Church and her other devout cere 
monies. Later when he had entered the sanctuary his respect 
for everything connected with the priestly dress increased ten- 
fold. Notwithstanding his extraordinary reserve in words, he 
could ill repress the holy indignation he felt when, for the slight- 
est pretext, any of his clerical friends dressed in any other than 
their ecclesiastical garb. No length of travel, no heat or other 
inclemency of season could induce him to wear any save the dress 
which he had assumed when he entered the sanctuary. 

And yet, we are assured by all biographers, but especially 
by his first historian, that in all this there was not the least 
trace of severity of manner or asperity of character. On the 
contrary, such was the gentle smile which always played about 
his countenance, such the Christ-like suavity of manner, that 
sinners instinctively drew near to him, as one from whom there 
came out a virtue which diffused itself as a gentle yet irresistible 
influence upon all around him. Of the Yenerable De La Salle 
we may therefore truly say : *' and there toas not found the like to 
him in glory, luho kept the law of the Most High, and ivas in covenant 
ivith him.'' (Eccles. xxiv.^ 

When reading of such traits we are constantly reminded of 
similar examples in the life of Our Divine Lord whose looks 
were such as to be spoken of specially in the Holy Scriptures, 
and quite as earnestly as when repeating his divine words. 
It was the look of our dear Saviour that caused the ceaseless 
well of Peter's tears to gush up from out a heart that only came 
to know its own possibilities of love, when by sin it had come 
to know the depths to which it might become debased. It was 
the sweetness of Jesus, probably, that first touched the heart of 
Mary, the sinner, and the many other characters mentioned in 
the New Testament, as lasting proofs of the power of God's 
grace. The good thief was probably another conquest of the 
glance of Jesus ; at least, his serenity of manner under the un- 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 65 

heard-of treatment he underwent, did its work on the lieart of 
the public criminal. Imitating his dear Lord in saving men, 
De La Salle sought to reproduce in himself the wonderful 
influence which the Diyine Kedeemer was wont to assert over 
men, by wirds and deeds, which marked him out as one unlike 
the rirdinai-j sons of men. 



CHAPTEE V. 

Virtues continued. — Row the Venerable preserved the Angelic Virtus'^ 
Evidence of his Superior. — Sayings of St. Ghryscstom. — La Salle's 
extraordinary custody of his senses! — An example of his extreme 
care on this point . — Amused and edified companions. — Confidence 
in God. — His, the result of faith. — With God for him, he cared not 
for men. — StriJcing evidence of unmeasured confidence. — How men 
proved false. — He divides his fortune among thepoor. — His charity. — 
Forgiveness of injury. — Love of prayer. — His prolonged vigils. — 
Victory over self . — Kneeling on shells. — Christian Wisdom.— Its 
marks given by St. Paul found in He La Salle, — Modesty. — Eules 
he gave after practising them, — Regulation imposed upon himself to 
preserve the holy presence of God. — How he treated delinquents and 
hardened sinners. — " He bore their burdens" — Regularity. — Exam- 
ples of his great love for this guardian of the exterior man. — Conduct 
as an inferior. — His desire to be least thought of except lohere menial 
offices were to be given. — The crowning virtue of his life. — Obe- 
dience. — He strives "to do allthings well.'' — Striking examples he gave 
of this most essential virtue, 

Wiat we have thus far spoken of the holy servant of God, 
of his respect for holy things, his ever constant remembrance 
of God's presence, his spirit of faith, and attention to all that re- 
ferred to God and his service, will prepare us to fully believe 
the extraordinary details furnished us by his earliest historian 
as to his love for, and zeal in, preserving the angelic virtue.i 

The subject has already been referred to when treating of his' 
years of trial and probation, yet, we must, to do justice to our 
hero, enter into other details. 

At all times he manifested the most extraordinary care in the 

66 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 67 

preservation of this most delicate of graces. As a child, a 
scholar, before, as after his consecration to the service of the 
altar, he was filled with zeal for this holy virtue. A most avow- 
ed enemy to scruples in any form, he seemed to consider no 
precautions too great where the holy virtue was concerned. 

Though not scrupulous, he acted as though he were, and as 
though he perceived danger in a multitude of occurrences and 
incidents, where others went forward without hesitancy. He 
cultivated it as the most precious gem in the ecclesiastical 
crown, being persuaded that in the language of St. John Chrysos- 
tom, " the mouth and hands of those who bring down upon the 
altar the virgin body of the Man-God, the spouse of virgins, 
should be purer than heaven's rays." 

His prudence in the preservation of so fragile a plant, as is 
the angelic virtue, led him at times to perform acts which 
seemingly bordered upon the extravagant. 

Thus, we read that being ill, and learning that his grand- 
mother wished to see him, he arose from his bed, and received 
her in the parlor. When told by his respected relative that 
such an excess of prudence was unnecessary, he smilingly an- 
swered that there was doubtless no danger whatever in his ven- 
erable grandmother calling upon him as she had desired, but 
that his position as superior required him to give such 
an example to those upon whom he constantly impressed 
the importance of this holy virtue, which can be fully preserved 
only at the price of seemingly unnecessary vigilance. He paid 
but very few visits and these of the shortest possible duration : 
when such were paid him he insisted upon the fulfilment of ever}" 
point of the Bules treating on this subject, and exacted that 
his Brothers should be equally on their guard. Indeed, his 
practical lessons on this point were far more forcible than 
any rules or regulations could have been. 

In his writings upon this subject he dwelt with an earnest- 



68 The Venerahh De La ScxJle-. 

ness born of conviction " Take care tliat the love of the worhl 
may not enter into your house, that is into your mind and 
heart ... I regret that you are compelled to have so much com- 
munication with the world. I can easily conceive that your 
piety has diminished. Beturn once for all to prayer, I beseech 
you. . . . Corruption is very great in this world ; we must be par- 
ticularly attentive and vigilant over ourselves, to be freed from 
ifc, and I bless God who has given you grace to preserve your- 
self from it up to this time." 

In treating of this holy virtue in his Rules and Constitutions 
he clearly shows that in his mind, the preservation of the holy 
virtue in all its integrity, both interior and exterior was an es- 
sential. In fact, any Brotlier guilty of a violation could no 
longer be tolerated in the Society. He says : 

" The Brothers who have made the vow of chastity, and those 
who dispose themselves tc make it should be persuaded that 
none can be allowed to remain in the Institute in whom any- 
thing against purity has appeared or may appear. The Bro- 
thers shall therefore make it their first and chief care, in regard 
to their exterior, to excel in everything that concerns the holy 
virtue of chastity, in any manner whatever. They shall be 
careful neither to see nor allow themselves to be seen in a 
manner even the least immodest. The first garment they shall 
put on on rising, and the last they shall take off on retiring, 
shall be their robe. ..... = . Thus, the Venerable wished 

his disciples to aspire to the perfection practised by St. Louis, 
of Gonzaga, who would not allow his own mother to see his 
feet uncovered. Here we are reminded of the touching nar- 
rative of St. Peter of Alcantara. A few moments before dying, 
the infirmarian felt the saint'.^ hands and feet, upon which 
St. Peter exclaimed : " Touch me not Brother, I am still alive 
and in the flesh and may therefore offend God ! " 

What a lesson to youth, so reckless, constantly exposed, and 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 69 

wlio fail to bear in mind that tliey too, liayo immortal souls to 
save, quite as precious to them as were the souls of Louis 
Aloysius, the Blessed John Berchmans, St. Peter of Alcantara 
and the Venerable De La Salle to these great servants of 
God. Never forget, youthfal reader, that you carry about the 
precious virLue of chastity in frail vessels. That man is his 
own greatest enemy, that after having vanquished all other oppo- 
nents, he still has the domestic enemy of his own passions to 
overcome. This task is the work of a life- time. Hapj^y he, 
who like the Venerable De La Salle, can feel that the struc^o-le 
has not been fruitless, that he has achieved the greatest of 
victories — the victory over self. 

What precautions are you taking to preserve the lily of 
chastity? What guard do you place u^Don your eyes which the 
prophet calls windows, by which sin may enter, and death be 
given to the soul ? What is the nature of your reading ? Who 
are your companions ? What are the subjects of their conversa- 
tion ? What special devotions do you practise in honor of 
your dear Angel-guardian, and the Most Blessed and Immac- 
ulate Virgin, to preserve you from the thousand and one dangers 
by which you are surrounded ? These are serious questions up- 
on which your eternal hereafter assuredly hangs. Think well 
on it. To-day and its results are yours, to-morrow may be no 
longer at your command. Whatever you are to do in the all- 
important work of preserving the most delicate of virtues, must 
be done well, at once, and persevered in until we are called to 
receive the reward of such precautions. Never was it truer 
than in this case, to say what was said of another treasure : 
"Eternal vigilance is the price of purity." It suffices not to pray ; 
something else, as all saints tell us, is essential. Christ him- 
self says, " Watch and pray" that you may not be surprised, 
showing us that even prayer alone is insufficient, that we must 
not tempt God, remembering, on the contrary, that : " he who 



70 The Venerable De La Salle. 

lovefch tli6 danger shall perish therein." It was by such vig- 
ilance, added to prayer and other practices that the Venerable 
De La Salle is believed to have lived and died a virgin. Of 
this, says his first biographer : " Fasts, cilices, and other pen- 
itential acts of which the saints made use to control their pas- 
sions, were habitual to the Venerable." Hence, we have reason 
to believe that he is now among the virgins who follow the 
Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and that he sings the Canticle 
which such privileged souls can alone sing. It is the opinion 
of all the ancient Brothers who have been most intimate with 
their holy Founder, and who had most closely watched his 
career, that he gave all those indications which go to show that 
baptismal innocence had been preserved. This conviction was 
still further strengthened after his death, to such an extent, that 
Brother Barthelemi, his successor, as General, and who for 
years had been the Venerable's spiritual adviser, declared in 
his letter announcing the death of the great servant of God : 
" From all I ca:i learn, I believe our holy Father ranks among 
the virgins, and that he always preserved his baptismal robe 
untarnished." 

When a saint's faith has been spoken of, much has alreadj^ 
been said to prove him imbued with unlimited hope and confi- 
dence in God, since the virtue of hope and its consequences de- 
rive their strength from the first of the theological virtues. 

What the rays are in regard to the sun, confidence in God is 
with reference to faith. The one is the measure of the other, 
as well as the proof of its existence. It is from faith that 
hope draws its life, its nourishment and increase. When 
faith is slight and languishing, confidence in God is enfeebled ; 
if faith be lively and animal ted, confidence in God Avill be 
grand and heroic. 

" What saint, " asks the Venerable's biographer, ** has had 
more reason to rely solely upon God in his enterprises, than 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 71 

the subject of our sketch ? Who has been moie abused, 
calumniated and persecuted than the Founder of the Christian 
Schools, and who, therefore, has had greater need of unlimited 
confidence in the divine power and goodness to bring him forth 
successful and victorious from such combined opposition! 
Parents, friends, benefactors, superiors and inferiors with 
one accord seemed united in trying the confidence of the great 
servant of God, and of the people. 

It was in the midst af all these trials, many of which have 
been already named, that his unswerving confidence in the 
power and goodness of God was shown. It may, indeed, be 
said that this was one of his distinctive characteristics. Durino- 
the forty years which were spent in laying the lasting founda- 
tions of his work, how many and how grievous were the trials 
through which he had to pass ! At one time he is insulted 
in his own home ; at another, driven from the door of one of 
his own communities ; here, he is deserted by some of his chil- 
dren to whom he has confided a work specially dear to his 
heart ; there, he is called upon to defend himself in unjust law- 
suits ; his Brothers in one place are ill-treated because of their 
firmness in their faith ; in another, after working earnestly and 
constantly for an entire year, they are deprived of the neces- 
saries of life ; elsewhere, schools opened under the most smiling 
auspices, are as suddenly closed ; while in others, he finds his 
children laboring hard all day to find themselves without even 
a loaf of bread at night ! More than once he and his compan- 
ions were followed through the streets and stoned, because of 
the poverty of the dress they wore ; while in those cities in which 
men left him undisturbed, he often found his disciples vic- 
tims of the keenest suffering, resulting from overwork or sick- 
ness. In all these cases, so different and so trying in their 
nature, he never allowed one word of murmur, or an expres- 
sion of want of confidence to escape his lips. If tried by 



72 The Venerable De La Salle. 

hunger, lie goes to the tabernacle, and striking the door gently, 
he says : " Lord, thy children have no bread," and forthwith a 
plentiful supply is found at the parlor door. Are his children 
pursued by unjust lawsuits ? he makes a pilgrimage with his 
threatened community, and the Help of Christians becomes his 
successful advocate. Do cardinals, archbishops and bishops 
drive him from their reception rooms ? he retires, but not with- 
out first kissing the hand that smote, and which, in most cases, 
was thus forced to conclude by blessing where it meant to ban- 
ish. Is the whole country one charnel house where hunger 
and cold prepared the way for suffering and disease ? He opens 
the door of his Novitiate, refuses admission to none, and sees 
the evil days pass without serious inconvenience when the rich- 
est communities had been brought to the verge of financial de- 
struction. 

Who strengthened him in such trials ? By what strange 
influence was he enabled to smile in the midst of his affliction ? 
Follow him to one of his communities. The very essentials 
of existence are wanting. Food there is none ; credit they have 
not ; hopes of better days are not to be entertained. What will 
be his course ? To withdraw his Brothers and leave God's work 
but half done ? No ; your Christian instinct at once responds, 
and a like answer was the Venerable' s. After listening to the 
Director's sad recital and having seen its verification in the 
surroundings he says : " My Dear Brother Director, do you 
believe in the Gospel? " '' Most assuredly," his spiritual son 
replies ; " well then," added the Venerable, " seek first the king- 
dom of God and his justice and all else will be added unto you 
over and above." The Director believed and was soon reward- 
ed for his virtuous course. Providence supplied all that was 
necessary, for no sooner had the Brothers' sad state been made 
known to some worthy families than their every need was sup- 
plied, and this with a generosity which repaid them more than 
a hundred-fold for past sufferings and privations. 



74 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

We have already seen the Venerable distributing his fortune 
to the poor ; the more we consider this heroic act and the dis- 
astrous character of the times in which he made the sacrifice, 
the more fully we shall be convinced of his abiding confidence in 
Him who feeds the birds of the air and who tells us that even the 
hairs of our head are numbered. His confidence in spiritual 
matters was not less remarkable. This we perceive in the 
letters he wrote to his Brothers and likewise to other religious 
or lay persons who corresponded with him, seeking advice in 
their interior struggles and difficulties. To all he was W' ont to 
say that their confidence in God should be in proportion to 
their spiritual misery. He told them that their reliance on the 
goodness of the Almighty should be increased, according to 
the number and the enormity of their transgressions, like holy 
King David wdio said : " I wdll rely upon the Lord, because of 
mine iniquities''' Had he been ever a just man, it seemed to the 
saintly prince that he would have had fewer motives of con- 
fidence, because the Almighty would have fewer opportunities 
of manifesting his merciful designs towards a poor, frail mortal. 
To one of his spiritual daughters who was greatly troubled, he 
wTote these touching and encouraging lines : 

" Kever allow yourself to be foolishly persuaded that you are 
forsaken by God ; on the contrary, believe that He is more 
than ever disposed to receive you into his arms. His mercy 
manifests itself in proportion to the greatness of your wretched- 
ness. The more abandoned you seemingly are, the more abun- 
dantly will His mercies be shown in your favor. He knows the 
extent of your w^eakness ; that you require His grace to estab- 
lish and confirm you, when weakness and cowardice would cause 
you to lose ground. " Truly," adds the author of " Thoughts of 
the Venerable De La Salle," *' those lessons of confidence in 
God came with fitting force from the mouth and pen of so 
patient and confiding a man of God ! " 



An Appeal to Catholic YoutJu 75 

The work inaugurated by tlie Venerable and the devotedness 
which he manifested for the poor who flocked to his classes, 
sufficiently attest his charity. Indeed his whole life may be 
classed as one continued practice of this sublime virtue. If 
any further proof were required, we may iind it in the alacrity 
with which he forgave those who had been guilty of the greatest 
injustice against him ; who, not content with defaming his fair 
name, went still further by depriving him of large sums left 
him to assist in establishing his work, but which he invariably 
abandoned to claimants whose right he might easily have 
contested. Thus it was that he literally fulfilled the counsel : 
'' If they seize thy coat, give them thy cloak likewise ; and if 
they bufi'et thee on the right cheek, turn to them thy left also." 

It was in the holy exercise of prayer and meditation that the 
servant of God* found strength to practise those sublime vir- 
tues which we have so cursorily mentioned, and which can onl}^ 
be preserved and increased by the practice of union with God 
through the constant study and application of his Holy Word. 
De La Salle's life was one continued act of union with God. 
When he left St. Sulpice he was already noted for his love of 
mental prayer ; his after years saw him constantly grovring in 
the earnestness with which he devoted himself to this holy 
exercise. After his ordination he seemed uniquely attentive to 
the divine presence, each day beheld him offering the divine 
sacrifice with increased fervor, for his days were spent in unin- 
terrupted thanksgiving after, or in preparation for, this great 
sacrifice. His conversation was no longer with ordinary men, 
but, rather, so far as duty would allow, with the angels of 
heaven, or with perfect men upon earth. His prayer seemed 
unintermitting, and on several occasions, when he was believed 
to be at rest, asleep, some of his disciples found him lost in 
the delights of contemplation, or, as happened repeatedly, he 
was found asleep on the floor, his prie-Dleu toppled over, for 



76 TJte Venerable De La Salle. 

he had only relinquished prayer, when in spite of his efforts 
to tliG contrary, "tired nature sank to rest." It was in part to 
this practice of praying or meditating till he thus fell prostrate 
upon the hard floor, that his physicians attributed the acut3 
attacks of rheumatism from which he suffered so keenly. In 
his earlier years, when the hours he devoted to study took 
much of the time he desired to devote to the holy exerciso 
of mental prayer, his struggles against sleep were of a truly 
heroic character, for, when all other means failed, he courage- 
ously knelt upon broken shells, the first moment of drowsiness 
being instantly stopped by the sharpest of pains. 

" Often," adds his first historian, " he was found in the same 
posture at half-past four in the morning as he had occupied 
the previous evening at night prayer/' 

It was his constant effort to beget a like spirit of prayer and 
meditation among his Brothers. For this purpose he wrote a 
detailed "Method of Mental Prayer," in which he enters into 
such minute details that it is impossible for any one, faithful 
to the precepts of this precious work, to fail to become a man of 
prayer, after the model of his own holy Founder. Of his " Method 
of Meditation, " a learned author has said : " Unfortunately thi; ; 
explanation is too little known; but his own children can never 
drink too deeply from the spiritual waters which flow from the 
sacred source. " 

"Mental Prayer," wrote the Venerable, " is to be preferred 
to all other forms of devotion. After the recitation of the 
Divine Office, it should be the most essential point of Rule. 

" Be all the more faithful to mental prayer, since you find that 
the Almighty on the one hand draws you thereto, and that, on 
the contrary, the evil spirit uses every artifice and plea to draw 
you therefrom. 

" Never omit meditation unless prevented by illness. . . . This 
holy exercise will dispel the clouds of ignorance which darken 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 77 

your mind. Be filled v.itli ideas and principles of faitli. You are 
in God's holy presence, which is already more than you deserve. 
Lay no value on mere feelings or sensibilities, be rather on your 
guard against them. '* 

A man of prayer and meditation necessarily becomes spiritual- 
ly enlightened and wise, since his views of things, the value he 
places upon them, in every case correspond with those of God. 
We have ample proof of this in the life of the Venerable De La 
Salle. 

We may safely say that Christian wisdom is a virtue as rare 
as it is necessary, for it is the science of the saints, the mistress 
of the spiritual life, the guardian and directress of virtues, which 
apart from her are useless to salvation. Hence the many eu- 
logies which we find of this virtue in Holy Writ ; so many means 
of acquiring it, so many exhortations urging us to beg it inces- 
santly of the Almighty. 

Once we admit that the wisdom of the world is folly with God, 
and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom, 
we can at once perceive at what variance with the Avorld and its 
maxims the truly wise Christian, but above all, the saint will 
be found. 

Thus, everything in the life of the Venerable De La Salle 
served to amuse the world, and afforded ample matter for 
its sharp and cutting ridicule. The entire designs, conduct 
and proceedings of the servant of God in establishing the 
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools called forth 
unstinted criticism. To mere worldly men it was incompre- 
hensible that teachers should live in comparative silence and 
retreat ; the spectacle of a distinguished Canon, or a Doctor of 
Divinity dressed in the modest garb of a Brother was more than 
even many, otherwise religiously inclined, could understand or 
explain. The extraordinary fervor shown by both Founder and 
followers was adjudged of that class which the Apostle describes 



78 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

as not being within bounds. The critics declared that the 
zeal of the new Apostles was not according to science, their vir- 
tue was wanting, said the fault finders, in those wise safe- 
guards which prudence dictates. " If such was the estimate 
formed by those who were but partially able to judge of the 
Venerable and his children at home among his own people he 
was still more severely judged by those of other cities. While 
praising his extraordinary piety, there was left tLe sting of re- 
proach, inasmuch as De La Salle was accused of wishing to 
appear more devoted to his mission than those who were will- 
ing to admit the excellence of the work, without assuming the 
duties of a worker. While admitting his zeal, they denied its 
prudence ; while endorsing his mission, they found fault with 
the missionaries. Like all worldly-wise, these otherwise good 
persons wished perfection in the beginning, strangely forgetting 
that our divine Lord himself took years to train his Apostles. 
Fortunately, the Yen3rable was of material out of which saints 
are made. As already remarked, he allowed the world to talk, 
while he pursued his career. As in the case of all those who 
had undertaken great works for God before him, he was not 
surprised at the censure passed upon his work and motives. 
The virtue of such labors in the vineyard of Christ is beyond 
the grasp of most minds ; as a natural result, they are first mis- 
understood, then misrepresented, even by good rner. Indeed, it 
has often been remarked that divine Providence allows some of 
his most chosen servants to be the most severe upon others, 
equally holy, engaged in a cause equally good, but which is 
not understood by those who unwittingly oppose it. Thus 
does the Almighty use saints to form other saints. Such was 
the experience of the Venerable De La Salle. Many well-mean- 
ing persons opposed his work and missivon, some going so far 
as to censure and even persecute him. He was spoken of as a 
person with exaggerated views of life, headstrong in his way of 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 79 

effecting the good lie sought to accomplish. But here their 
opposition exhausted itself. It could not go beyond, for the 
personal life of the holy servant of God was such as to disarm 
criticism. However the best of men might differ from his view 
of life, none could point to a single act or word of the Founder's 
which did not bespeak the heavenly wisdom by which all his 
proceedings were marked. His most declared enemies were 
forced to admit that he was a saint, yet they ceased not to say 
that he was a most imprudent one. This accusation has fallen 
upon every one whose virtues have been heroic in degree, for ex- 
traordinary sanctity sometimes appears eccentric, eA^en to good 
people, and necessarily draws down unmerited but certain criti- 
cism. 

The wisdom of the Yenerable possessed all the characteristics 
attributed to that beautiful virtue by St. Paul. 

Its first effect is to inspire one with a singular attraction for 
purity of heart, body and mind. Now, all the historians of his 
life unite in assuring us that one of the great objects of his 
spiritual efforts was to preserve this triple purity. He had 
nothing more at heart, and for this purpose, as already men- 
tioned, added the most severe mortifications to a ceaseless 
vigilance over his body and its senses, his mind and its faculties. 

The second characteristic of wisdom is to love peace ; to 
observe order in all one's actions, to make God his sole object. 
Who can fail to recognize in the life of the Venerable how fully 
he realized this second characteristic ? His rule of life was 
to give way in evervthing where duty did not require the 
opposite, even so far as to allow his own house to be pillaged 
by his enemies. He never defended himself personally, 
against anybody, most carefully avoided all processes in court, 
even allowing his enemies to despoil his Institute of property 
that had been bequeathed it, while he even went so far as to 
submit the Rules to those for whom they had been written when 



80 The Venerable De La Salle, 

his own disciples would willingly have accepted them without 
discussion from his hands. What order reigned in and abaiifc 
the Institute he directed ! It is said that though eighty pel- 
sons were assembled in the house of St. Yon, that visitors, judg- 
ing from the silence that usually reigned, might have supposed 
it quite abandoned. Such were the silence and regularity 
which reigned therein, that these alone were sufficient indica- 
tions of the fervor with which God was served by La Salle and 
his spiritual children. Still more do we find this spirit of 
peace and long enduring patience shown in La Salle's conduct 
when a new superior was sent by the Ecclesiastical authorities 
to replace the holy Founder in his own community. He 
showed M. De Brou, who was appointed to that office the different 
parts of the house, explained the regulations, and finally assem- 
bled the Brothers to introduce the new superior. The result was 
an eloquent tribute to the virtue of the Venerable, and to the 
excellent good sense and prudence of the proposed superior. 
In vain did La Salle urge upon his disciples to acquiesce in the 
new arrangement : their decision was final. They had associat- 
ed themselves with M. De La Salle to do a work which the 
Almighty had inspired him to undertake. If he broke through 
his part of the agreement by withdrawing from the work, 
their part of the contract, said they, was no longer binding. In 
vain did De La Salle strive to convince them that they were bound 
to accept the decision of the Archbishop. They replied that 
both sides of the question had not been heard, and that in the 
meantime, they would wait till this full explanation had been 
made before accepting the change. It was then that the 
virtue and prudence of M. De Brou were seen. " I shall never 
accept the keys of a house which, while opening the doors, will 
close the hearts of its inmates against me," were his words to 
the Cardinal Archbishop, to whom he gave so glowing an account 
of the good order, regularity, silence, and union of mind and 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 81 

lieart that reigned throughout the new community, that His 
Eminence was the first to admire the conduct of the good 
Brothers in so firmly remaining attached to their Founder. The 
only sad heart that day was De La Salle's. He had hoped to 
escape superiority ; already he deemed himself gladly the least 
of his community. But God willed otherwise. It is not till 
later, that he will prove " his fitness to command by his extra- 
ordinary eagerness to obey.'* 

St. Paul tells us that modesty is the third characteristic of 
true wisdom. We shall soon see the degree to which he carried 
this virtue; meanwhile, let us refer to the fourth indication of the 
virtue we are studying — docility. Surely we have found evi- 
deuces without number proving the degree to which the Ven- 
erable practised this virtue, — as a child, as a youth, a cleric, 
a priest, he was obedient in all things. As a seminarian he 
had never violated any rule ; at the age of seventy " he was 
more regular than the youngest novice." 

Union of heart and a spirit of concord are the fifth mark which 
the great Apostle gives of holy wisdom ; and in this as in so 
many other points, our hero has furnished numberless examples 
showing that he was ready to make any and every sacrifice 
which did not imply a shirking of principle or duty, rather than 
violate the law of forbearance. 

His whole life was one series of concessions, whereby he sought 
to procure God's glory by preserving the virtue dearest to his 
heart. Where he could not, without failing in his duty to the 
mission he had undertaken, give way to the wishes of others, 
he presented his own views with such gentleness of manner and 
such total absence of self-interest that he drew his opponents 
to his way ot thinking. Where bishops sought to change articles 
of the Rule, or other members of the clergy sought to interfere 
in the internal administration of the community, he submitted 
so far as he was personally concerned ; when, as a matter of 



82 The Venerable De La Salle, 

duty lie opposed innovations which his own experience and the 
spiritual light with which he was favored, taught him to be 
inadmissible, his words were so well timed, his reasons urged 
with such singleness of purpose, as to convince those whom he 
was constrained to oppose, that no other motive than God's 
glory held sway in his mind. When, on two or three occasions, 
rather than create a greater trouble, he allowed his oppone^its 
to have their way, results soon proved the wisdom of his pre- 
vious opposition. Thus, when on a certain occasion, a Brother 
was retained in a position despite the wishes of the holy 
Founder, and to gratify a pastor's wish, the departure of the 
faithless religious within a short time after the concession, taught 
the worthy priest that his own interests and those of the un- 
happy delinquent would have been best served by allowing 
the Venerable to carry out his own plans for the general welfare 
of religion and of the Institute, and of its members in particular. 

Another mark of religious wisdom is that he who possesses 
it takes all in good part, and is a declared enemy to criticism 
and fault finding. In no other particular has the servant of 
God more fully proved his claim to the possession of this 
virtue. In his Rule he forbids his Brothers to speak of any 
one unless it be to say something to his advantage ; other com- 
munities are never to be named in a critical manner, and the 
whole drift of his legislation in the chapter on Silence, Recreation 
and kindred subjects, bears the impress of hia desire to live at 
peace with all men. 

Finally, the apostle indicates " simplicity " as the crowning 
mark of the truly wise man. Let the reader recall the many 
instances in which this virtue has been seen in the life and 
work of the holy Founder : no other proof will be necessary to 
convince him that the Venerable De La Salle was truly wise. 
His simplicity shows itself in the unaffected manner in which 
his piety as a youth shone in his own family ; later, simplicity 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 83 

in his tastes was shown when he regulated his own house as 
though it had been a convent ; to this, add the manner in which 
he invited M. Nyel and companions to his own home, and the 
picture is sufficiently complete. Should doubt still linger, let 
the reader bear in mind that all through life, the Yenerable's 
delight was to be with the children of men, a disposition which 
in itself is synonymous with simplicity, and the conviction 
that he practised this virtue in a high degree, must be com- 
plete. 

His modesty was not less remarkable. It was this virtue 
which betrayed him, in spite of his desire to remain unknown. 
Wherever he went, this virtue was known to all men, who there- 
upon declared that wherever the Venerable appeared, surely 
the Lord was nigh. The Holy Ghost himself assures us that 
the countenance is the mirror of the soul, and so it was with 
the holy Founder : the serenity of his look, the mildness of ex- 
pression, the unassuming candor which shone in his whole 
exterior, declared how fully he practised the queenly virtue of 
modesty. His language added to the edification furnished by 
his looks ; while the modesty of his dress, his manner of walk- 
ing, his suavity of expression, were all so many voices which 
proclaimed aloud his worth, and drew upon him universal ad- 
miration. He was the first to practise what he commanded 
others, when he prescribed in his Bules : " It is essentially ne- 
cessary that the Brothers be particularly distinguished for their 
modesty, humility and wisdom in all their exterior acts. . i . . . 
They shall endeavor to have a cheerful, rather than a gloomy 
countenance, and shall never exhibit the least appearance of 
any worldly passion. They shall be very careful that their 
movements are such as to edify all who see them." 

And thus, as expressed by one of the holy Fathers, the Ven- 
erable De La Salle was, in his own external conduct, a reflec- 
tion of the ways of God. His looks caused sinners to be 



84 The Venerable De La Salle. 

confused, and to conceive a horror of the vicious career tlief 
Wore pursuing ; which feeling is often the key to conversion. 
Such was the power of his glance, that it in some manner com- 
municated to others that spiritual correction of which their 
hidden faults gave them need ; while it at the same time became 
a source of gladness and consolation to those upon whom his 
intuitive knowledge of their interior enabled him to look upon 
with approbation. " Oh ! " exclaims the same holy writer, 
" what a gift it is to be of service to our neighbor, even by our 
very presence." Speaking of the high degree to which the 
Venerable practised this virtue, his first historian writes : "In 
the modesty of this servant of God, I find reproduced the traits 
which St. Athanasius describes as having been seen in the great 
St. Anthony. Such was the modesty that shone upon his 
countenance that he was at once distinguished from all who 
surrounded him. His sanctity of soul and purity of mind were 
indicated upon his features ; he was ever gay, tranquil, un- 
changed. There w^as something so tempered with sweetness 
in his gravity ; such was the outgrowth of his Christian love, 
in his joyous methods of action, that he was everyone's fa- 
vorite, for his face was "os that of anangeV according to the ex- 
pression of the Holy Scriptures." The same writer continues : 
*'I fear not to add in speaking of the Venerable's modesty, 
that we may say of him as was written of St- Bernard : " so well 
regulated were his manner of walking, and his whole exter- 
ior, that every movement was expressive of humility, breathed 
piety, was a model of Christian elegance, inspiring respect, 
and causing a feeling of joy, in all who beheld him." "Tell 
me not of the regularity of your community, ' he replied to a 
certain Director, " I shall judge of that by the modesty which 
your Brothers observe." 

Let us now dwell for a moment on the extraordinary spirit 
of regularity which he manifested. As St. Augustine, quoted 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 85 

in the Preface to the Eules of the Brothers, tells us : " Those who 
live in community should love God above all things, and next 
their neighbor, because whatever regularity is not founded on 
these two principal commandments is entirely worthless, since 
regular observances are established in religious communities 
only to enable their members to observe the Commandments of 
God more faithfully." We ma}^ safely say that it is regularity 
which directs the whole exterior man ; it is the soul and support 
of the religious life, to which we may apply the tevm justice as em- 
ployed in the Holy Scriptures : that is, as indicative of that col- 
lection of virtues which go to make up the just man. Such is 
the idea which the world also has of regularity. A saint in its 
eyes is one who fails in no point of discipline. When we speak 
of a community and wish to praise its virtues, we express the 
whole by saying that its members, individually, and as a body, 
are models of regularity. This regularity is the measure of 
their sanctity. To appreciate the regularity of the holy Foun- 
der of the Christian Brothers, we should consider in detail 
the examples he gave, the lessons he taught, the zeal with 
which he maintained this virtue. 

After referring to the regularity of life practised among the 
members of his own family, the first biographer of De La Salle 
continues : '* Strict as he had been in his regularity in his own 
private home, he became perfect therein when he became one 
with his disciples of the Christian Schools. His whole study 
thus seemed to be to find himself first at all the exercises ; most 
fervent in their performance, and least considerate of the many 
reasons which at times would have justified his absence." Let 
us merely glance at the regulations he prepared for himself, and 
which he so faithfully carried out in every detail : 

" I shall never leave the house without praying for a quarter 
of an hour, and examining before God whether it is absolutely 
necessary. If the matter be pressing, I shall take at least 



86 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

the time required to recite a Miserere^ to decide upon my course 
of action. 

" I shall devote at least a quarter of an liour when required, 
to renew myself in the holy presence of God, and to consecrate 
myself to the ]Vk)st Blessed Trinity. 

"It will be a rule with me not io make any distinction between 
those things lohich relate to my state of life and those tvhich directly 
refer to my salvation, for I may be certain that I cannot more 
effectively secure my eternal welfare, and that I can never reach 
perfection more certainly than by fulfilling the obligations of my 
state, provided these duties are accomplished in view of God, 
and to obey his holy will. I must strive ever to have these 
views present to my mind. 

" In paying necessary visits I shall say only what is abso- 
lutely necessary : never speaking of worldly matters or useless 
things, and never spend more than half an hour in such visits. 
. " At least twenty times per day I shall unite my actions with 
those of Jesus Christ, and will strive to have intentions con- 
formable to his own. To secure this practice, I will have a 
small piece of paper, and puncture it each time I renew the 
offering of my actions. For each time that I fail, I shall recite 
a Pater, kissing the floor at the beginning of each, as many 
times as I shall have failed, before retiring to rest. 

" When consulted by my Brothers, I will beseech Our Lord to 
advise them. If the matter is very important, I will take time 
to think it over, and during my conversation I will strive to re- 
main in constant union with our Divine Saviour. 

" When my disciples acknowledge their faults, I shall look up- 
on myself as guilty of their transgressions, by my negligence 
in not having foreseen and prevented them ; if I impose any 
penance upon them, I shall perform a more severe one myself. 
If the fault be serious, besides the penance, I shall take at 
least an hour, several days in succession, to ask pardon of God ; 



A71 Appeal to Catholic Youth, 87 

for I must remember that I hold the place of Our Lord in 
their regard, and am bound to bear the burden of their offences, 
as he has borne ours : this is a duty I owe to God. 

But our limits require us to be brief. In addition, let us 
add that when he went into the country he made at least three 
hours of mental prayer. "X shall trouble myself less about 
knowing what to do than to perfectly fulfil what I already know. 
When travelling (afoot) I shall visit the village churches, and if 
I cannot enter, shall kneel before the door. 

Such is the merest synopsis of a life devoted to regularity. 
He learned this sublime degree of this great virtue by the 
constant study of the Sacred Heart of our Divine Lord, whose 
sole motive of action was the will of his Father in heaven. 
His bread, he declared, was to do that divine will ; and in 
dying, his last words were a declaration that in all things this 
will had been accomplished. 

We need not enter into the details of those instructions which 
he gave his disciples. A few extracts from the Chapter of the 
Rules on Regularity will suffice : 

" The Brothers shall then have a particular esteem for all that 
concerns regularity, however trifling it may appear, regarding it 
as being for them the principal means of sanctification, because 
it furnishes them with the most efficacious means of observing 
the commandments of God and of resisting the temptations of 
the devil, however violent, and because God blesses in a par- 
ticular manner those who are regular. 

" Regularity is the principal support of communities, and ren- 
ders them impregnable while it subsists ; irregularity is the chief 
source of destruction and the loss of their members ; conse- 
quently the Brothers shall prefer the Rules and practices of the 
Institute to all other practices, how holy soever^ unless the Com- 
mandments of God and of the Church. 

"All the Brothers. . . . shall make it a case of conscience if 



88 Tiije Venerable De La Salle, 

they fail in a single point of regularity, wishing to do in all things 
the will of God, which is laid down in the Eules and practices 
of the Institute. 

" The Brothers shall leave all at the first sound of the bell, in 
order to be present at the commencement of the exercises. 

^'No Brother shall exempt himself from the daily exercises — 
the examen, spiritual reading, mental prayer, etc., without an 
evident necessity, and the permission of the Brother Director. " 

We can easily understand the influence of such a life on the 
world at large, and therefore will not be surprised that the 
Venerable servant of God had wonderful control over, aud 
success in bringing back hardened sinners, or abandoned souls 
to God. Of the many instances given in his life, let us take but 
one as an example of his power and a proof of his zeal. 

A study of this unfortunate sinner's life Avould, says Pere 
Blain, be a complete history of the reign of all passions that 
can at the same time possess the human heart. Each vice in 
turn strove for the mastery ; intemperance, sensuality, impurity, 
impiety and irreligion, were there combined in this man of sin. 
The name of God offended his ears ; the sight of holy things 
threw him into a passion ; to him virtue was a myth, the truths 
of Holy Writ so many cunningly devised fables with whicli to 
ensnare unthinking minds. 

To complete his criminality of life, there remained but one 
precipice to fall over. This he sought by striving to force 
himself into holy Orders. His evil designs would have pros- 
pered had he not by his own excesses prevented their accom- 
plishment. His talents were so great, his seeming gentleness 
of manner so attractive, and the position of his family such, 
that the Ecclesiastical authorities were on the point of admit- 
ting him into the sanctuary. He was already in the Church, 
among those who were to present themselves for major Orders, 
when, providentially, he was seized with a nervous trembling, 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 89 

the result of his debaucheries, and thus warned, the bishop 
caused him to be driven ignominiously from the holy place. 
But this warning sufficed not. Deception followed deception, 
and shortly after, the unfortunate wretch personated the priest- 
ly character, and was several times on the point of desecrating 
the altar, when, by strange but doubtless providential inter- 
ference he was prevented. Perhaps, says another author, " a 
weeping mother or a loving sister were then praying for him." 
Even for this sinner then, there w^as a final grace left. Long- 
had he pursued his evil courses and he had now assuredly 
learned that " there is no peace for the wicked, for the way of the 
transgressor is hard." Like the prodigal son, he saw the utter 
baseness of the condition into which he had fallen, and listeniuu- 
to a warning voice, speaking perhaps for the last time, he struck 
his breast, and without lifting his eyes to heaven which he had 
voluntarily relinquished he repeatedly exclaimed : " O God, bu- 
rner ciful to me a sinner." His prayer was doubly heard ; 
his task of conversion was to be rendered relatively easy by the 
treatment he was to receive from the man of God who was to 
hear the sad recital of his evil ways. 

When this unfortunate man came to consider the extent of 
his crimes, their number, variety and enormity, he could scarce- 
ly believe that a man lived who could listen unmoved to the 
harrowing narrative. Here, he was mistaken ; he had never 
learned, else he had never so offended, the depths of commiser- 
ation, the height of charity, the width of forbearance that the 
good God can place in the heart of a worthy confessor. This 
lesson he was soon to learn. After repeated search and inquiry 
during which he wandered over a considerable portion of France^ 
he came to the city in which the Venerable De La Salle was tem- 
porarily stopping. As we may well imagine, who have thus far 
studied the life and virtues of our hero, the poor wayfarer was 
received with every mark of affection and sympathy. It was a 



90 The Venerable Be La Salle, 

line of treatment to which he was not accustomed, for the hard 
and cruel doctrines aud teachings of Jansenism had steeled the 
hearts of otherwise excellent priests against poor, relapsing 
sinners. During his whole life, the Venerable had been distin- 
guished for his genial hospitality. He had already by this means 
converted a distinguished young Lutheran, who from admiring 
his host turned to studying his doctrine. This same kindly 
treatment was, in its own way, gradually begetting the con- 
fidence which was required in the sinner, and while thus re- 
ceiving the prodigal, the Venerable was quietly studying, per- 
haps, as several authors declare, reading the heart of his visitor. 
Still the victory was neither prompt nor easy. On three differ- 
ent occasions did the unhappy man attempt without success, to 
open his heart by a humble and candid confession. Seeing 
that this poor soul lacked the strength necessary in so trying a 
case, the Venerable joins his own prayers and mortifications to 
those of the hesitating penitent. The result was soon seen, 
for the fourth time the young man succeeded in availing himself 
of the sacrament of penance. The Venerable listened with the 
utmost calm, encouraged his penitent, and only left the con- 
fessional when he had reconciled him to the Almighty. Never- 
theless, the struggle was far from being ended. For months 
after, the devil used every artifice to again enslave the escaped 
soul. Through the advice and influence of M. De La Salle, 
the young man was admitted to the General Hospital in Sois- 
sons. There, despite every care, he gradually grew weaker, his 
system having been totally exhausted by his previous life. But, 
he saw death approaching without fear, and in his last hours 
constantly repeated and blessed the name of his benefactor, the 
Venerable De La Salle. 

If this great servant of God thus attracts men, it was not 
certainly by any exterior finery or adornment, for his spirit of 
poverty led him constantly to choose all that was of least value. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 91 

His dress was of the plainest, his shoes strictly in keeping 
with the Eule he had given his Brothers, and his under garments 
frequently were such that the poorest beggar would have refused 
them as an alms. On one occasion being invited to sing Mass, 
his soutane was so threadbare that he was obliged to borrow 
one from a fellow priest ; on another, he was obliged to accept 
a new mantle from a bishop who was touched with compassion 
at seeing his former College companion so poorly clad. 

But while thus given to poverty, he was the declared enemy of 
filth or uncleanliness. So particular was he in this respect that 
he made it a rule that while his Brothers should be clad like 
poor people, he forbade that their clothing should be either 
soiled or torn. 

Finally, what shall we say of his obedience, for here we must 
stop our enumeration. Of this crowning virtue we may truly 
say that after the example of our Divine Lord he was obedient 
unto death. All through life his study was to escape dignity 
and to seek the last place. Kepeatedly he asked his Brothers 
to choose another superior, and when, at length, his request was 
granted, he became more submissive than the youngest novice, 
striving to outrun all his companions in the practice of every 
virtue, but especially obedience. Often, as Pere Blain relates, 
he asked and obtained permission to perform the most menial 
actions, greatly to the edification, but always contrary to the 
wishes of his children. When compelled through illness to 
absent himself from the ordinary exercises, he never did so with- 
out the express permission of his superiors, and when obliged 
by them to take any special treatment, his whole anxiety seemed 
to be to return at the earliest moment to the ordinary ways of 
the community. This obedience he practised, like all his other 
virtues, to a heroic degree. When obliged by Brother Barthel- 
emi to visit any community, he took singular pleasure in writ- 
ing letters wherein he had an opportunity to acknowledge his 



92 The Venerable De La Salle. 

dependence. Not content with this, he asked and urged to be 
allowed to make known his interior like the simplest member 
of the Order, and when spoken to on this subject or similar 
ones, he replied " you know that I am an inferior bound in all 
things by the Rule, from which I have no right to exempt my- 
self." The great reputation he had acquired made many rich 
persons leave him sums to be employed either for fixed purposes, 
or as he might think proper. One of these legacies coming to 
him after his resignation he refused to accept it because he was 
spoken of in the documents as Superior, and it required a pos- 
itive order to induce him to forego what his humility taught him 
to believe a departure from truth. As years progressed and 
his end drew near, his love of this virtue increased. Indeed we 
may truly say that it was in the practice of holy obedience he 
found his greatest happiness. In his contest over self, in his 
constant struggle after a more perfect life, he was animated by 
the fixed hope that being an obedient religious would enable 
him to sj)eak of victory. 



CHAPTEE VI. 

The Father's example followed by willing children, — First Brothers formed 
by De La Salle. — His own career. — A corner of the veil raised. 
What a glimpse repealed. — Inferences justified by indications thus 
found. — His passion for suffering. — Brothers Jean- Henri, Bourlette, 
Joseph, Louis, Stanislaus, Irenee and Bartholomew. — Brief lives 
which filled many years in a few days. — Lives shortened to be the soon- 
-er with God. — Folly of the Gross. — The virtues of Thebaid revived. 
Evidence of an eye-witness and Confessor. — '^You do not try me; 
I am, allowed, to sink beneath the load of my crinie.i.^' — "A loving 
image of the Venerable De La Salle." — Bodily pain forgotten amid 
spiritual delights. — They spoke only of heaven and of the paths lead- 
ing thereto. — ''The Brothers' holy passion, to follow in the footsteps, 
of their holy Founder." 

We cannot form a better idea of the holiness of life, the ex- 
iraordinary degree of perfection to which any great servant of 
God, any Founder of a religious Order has attained, than by 
studying the lives of his first disciples. History tells us in 
speaking of the Venerable De La Salle that he practised all 
virtues to a heroic degree, and the Church of God, the infalli- 
ble teacher of men has declared tliat what history had 
preserved and declared, is true. "We may then truly appre- 
ciate what is written of the holy Founder by one of his most 
devoted children, who declares that the Brothers of the Chris- 
tian Schools are " the disciples of one of the greatest lovers of 
the Cross of Christ who has appeared in these latter centu- 
ries." The same writer continues : "Not content with those 
sent him by Providence, he so hungered after sufferings and 

93 



94 The Venerable De La Salle. 

mortifications tliat we might call his path of endurance The 
Way of the Cross. We may truly say that he ever walked in 
this sorrowful path from the moment that he undertook to found 
the Christian Schools till that last hour when he drank the 
most bitter drop which a priest can drain from the chalice of 
sufferings, till that final moment when he pronounced these 
admirable words : * In all things I adore the will of God in 
my regard.' 

" Nothing was wanting to bring out the resemblance borne 
by the Venerable De La Salle with Him who is called by the 
Royal Prophet The Man of Sorrows. His fellow-citizens, his 
former colleagues, nay, even his relations, could have said of 
him that he * was despised, and acquainted with infirm- 
ity, and his look loas, as it luere, hidden and despised, whereupon we 
esteemed him not' 

" When we recall the unjust lawsuits brought against him, 
the condemnations pronounced against him, and then contem- 
plate his silent resignation in these trying circumstances, we 
are justified in applying to him those other words, by which 
the same prophet speaks of the iniquitous judgments to be 
pronounced by the tribunals of Jerusalem : "He shall be dumb as 
a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.'* 

" Such trials and sufferings might appear not only sufficient, 
but even excessive to one less enamored of such things as our 
Venerable Founder. But, on the contrary, 'he believed that he 
deserved his crosses, and, seeing all creatures rising up against 
him, he honored them as being the instruments of divine 
justice, put into play to chastise a rebellious and perfidious 
slave. ' 

" In his opinion, * these instruments of divine justice' did not 
exercise suffioient vengeance against one guilty of high treason, 
for thus he considered and spoke of himself. For this reason 
he imposed such rigorous chastisement upon himself that those 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 95 

who knew but a small part of the truth remarked: * Monsieur 
De La Salle will at the hour of death be obliged to ask pardon of 
his body for the excessive ill-treatment inflicted upon it.' * "^ "^ 

" Indeed, we cannot, without astonishment, read the resume 
left us by his first historian, who tells of the holy rigors, the 
crucifying practices to which our Venerable Father subjected 
his body. 

" 'All that is most terrible in mortification — all that is most 
sensitive and bitter — could not satisfy his thirst for sufferings. 
Believing that he never sufficiently resembled his divine model, 
he each day devised some new infliction. As though his blood 
flowed too plentifully in his veins, he appeared anxious to ex- 
liaust its strength by cruel disciplines, which became as deeply 
tinged with the crimson fluid as if they had been steeped in his 
blood. Each day he renewed this flagellation, so resembling 
our Lord's till there was no part of his body which had not 
reason to complain of the strength and rigor of his hand. "^ * ^ 
The cilice and hair-shirt were his ordinary garments, and thus 
enveloped in a garb of horse-hair, witli a pointed cincture of 
iron, he braved the heats of summer and the biting cold of the 
most rigorous winters.' 

" Do you wish to know how this passion for rebuffs, humili- 
ations and sufferings was enkindled in the heart of the Ven- 
erable De La Salle ? Would you learn how these kept in- 
creasing till his death, which happened on Good Friday, that 
the resemblance with Christ might be complete ? If so, listen 
again to his first historian : 

" 'The likeness of the Crucified,, bathed m blood, was the ob- 
ject of his constant meditations, and ever filled his mind and 
heart. This he took as his model, and allowed himself neither 
rest nor repose till it became, as it were, imbedded in his flesh. 
^ ^ "^ It was thus that he took the resolution to cease torturing 
his body only when that body would cease to live.' " 



96 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

Indeed, nothing can better inspire and nourish the love and 
practice of sufferings than the contemplation of the crucifix. 
It recalls, with telling effect, the ignominies, the torments to 
which Jesus Christ subjected himself for us. "Love gives love," 
a philosopher has said. How, then, can we pretend to love 
Jesus Christ if we seek not to resemble him in the manner in 
which he represents himself to the looker-on of the olden dis- 
pensation, to whom he was made known as "the man who should 
he filled icith reproaches .^" 

" Thus we find that the Yenerable De La Salle desired the 
devotion to the Crucifix to be preserved as a precious legacy 
in our Institute. You know with what holy paucity he had 
determined the few things the Brothers may possess. But 
among these few objects he had placed ' a crucifix which will 
be of ebony wood and the Christ in copper.' 

" He was equally desirous that practices of mortification 
should prevail among his children. Not content with giving 
us an express command to this effect, which we recite each 
morning in our prayer, he had also consecrated four paragraphs 
thereto in the treatise on the Pkincipal Virtues which the 
Brothers should practise. Herein he gives the motive which 
should induce us to follow the Apostle's advice, that we should 
always bear about in our body the mortification of Jesus. He 
urges us particularly to this by saying : 'Adore our Lord Jesus 
Christ in his condition as a penitent ; let your chief care be to 
clothe yourself with his penitential spirit.' " 

According to the Yenerable De La Salle, the thought of the 
passion of our Lord Jesus Christ should be the daily food of 
our souls. 

Such were the sentiments of the Yenerable, such were, as 
we shall now see, the practices of his early disciples. Says the 
first historian of the Institute, the Chaplain of the Brothers at 
St. Yon: . 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 97 

"The first disciples of the Yen. De La Salle, who were constant 
observers of his conduct and acts, understood that they could 
not be his spiritual children unless they reproduced his image 
within themselves, by imitating his virtues ; hence they applied 
themselves so earnestly thereto as to justify the adage • ' Such 
a father, such a son.'' Indeed, we find in them the thoughts, 
the Sentiments, the supernatural views and the virtues which 
characterize the Venerable De La Salle. 

" Tradition and the biographical notices that we possess of 
some of these first Brothers of the Christian Schools, unite in 
showing them not only as docile disciples to the instructions 
and directions of a master to whom they were attached, but 
we might almost say as his emulators, whose ardor the Yen. 
De La Salle was often obliged to restrain lest they should go 
into pious excesses, especially in bodily macerations, for which 
he was unjustly held responsible. 

" To be convinced of this, it will suffice to recall a few of the 
most salient points which show us the virtues of the Yen. De 
La Salle reproduced with almost equal edat in the greater num- 
ber of those whom we count among our earliest ancestors in 
the Congregation. 

" We will first cite Brother Jean-Henri, who, having entered 
the Institute at 15, was admitted first to the Preparatory Novi- 
tiate, and made such rapid progress in all the virtues, that from 
the age of 17, it seems, says the author of his life, that he could 
add nothing to his regularity, to his mortification, and to the 
fervor which were admired in him. It was this which adjudged 
him worthy, a few years later of being placed as Director of 
our Community of Eheims, when the Yen. De La Salle called 
Brother Henri L' Henreux to Paris. 

" His ohedietice went so far that he would not remove a chair 
without permission ; this virtue shone most brilliantly, when, 
attacked with violent rheumatism in the hips, which prevented 



98 The Venerable Be La Salle, 

him from taking a single step without the greatest suffering, 
he hesitated not a moment to undertake tlie journey from 
Rheims to Yaugirard, that is to say, thirty-five leagues, to 
make a retreat to which he was invited by the Yen. De La 
Salle. His companions, who were constantly obliged to help 
him, and even to carry him by turns, thought several times that 
he would expire in their arms. Indeed, he arrived more dead 
than alive at the end of his voyage. 

" So great was his practice of the presence of God that his 
biographer speaks of it in these terms : * Brother Jean-Henri 
found the secret of becoming as recollected in the most distact- 
ingof his exercises as he might be at the foot of the crucifix! . c . . 
the same silence, the same vigilance, over his senses^ the same union 
with God. .... "Wherever he might be, coming or going, he 
seemed to be in intimate communication with Him who is 
everywhere. His insatiable thirst for humiliations and penances 
induced him to accuse himself in vague terms in the accusation, 
not being able to particularize any real fault. The Yen. De 
La Salle believing him guilty, and wishing, moreover, to give 
him as an example to certain other brothers, imposed severe 
penances upon him, to be performed during supper, so that 
Brother Jean-Henri was seen two or three times a week taking 
a purely spiritual repast, instead of the corporal one, making 
meditation during that time, or taking the discipline.' "' Such 
are the exact words of liis biographer. 

It were superfluous, after that, to speak of his piety, which, 
nevertheless, was made the entire subject of his mortuary notice, 
written by the Yen. De La Salle in these terms: "Pray for 
Brother Henri who died with all the sentiments of very extra- 
ordinary piety, the 1st of July, 1699." What must have been 
ih.Q sentiments of piety dLQ^ignOii^di as very extraordinary by so 
competent a judge ! 

" The virtues which distinguished Brother Jean-Henri ha^ 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 99 

equally shone in Brother Bourlette and in Brother Joseph, 
who succeeded each other at Laon, and there died in the odor 
of sanctity, the former in 1688, the latter in 1694 Brother 
Joseph had even some traits of resemblance with St. Cassian, 
one of the patrons of our Institute, inasmuch as his death was 
the result of a wound caused by one of his scholars. 

" Brother Joseph entered the Institute in 1683, already some- 
what advanced in years, and suffering from violent asthma and 
several other infirmities. However, he soon outstripped his 
companions of the Novitiate in the practice of humility, of morti- 
fication and of pietij. He desired, and knew how to secure, the 
lowest employments and objects. Thus did he accomplish the 
precept of the Gospel : ' Pray always.'' Though occupied with a 
thousand cares in the house, the better to fulfil them, they were 
performed in a spirit of meditation. He had the secret, as his 

biographer states, of finding God and conversing with Him 

He was seen joining vocal and mental prayer to recollect him- 
self, and to sustain his attention to God always present. 

Called, in 1691, to the retreat in Yaugirard, he manifested 
neither less courage, less mortification, nor less obedience than 
Brother Jean-Henri ; but, about half-way on the journey, his 
companions were obliged to place him in a boat, a gathering 
in the knee, which caused him intense torture and did 
not permit him to take a step without pain, prevented him 
from continuing his journey on foot. Still it was necessary to 
use violence to induce him to take passage in the boat, for he 
was resolved to finish the remaining twenty-two leagues on foot, 
being ready to die, or to remain on tJie road, rather than to fail in 
ohedie7ice. 

" Though Brother Dominick had only passed six or seven 
years in the Institute, he merits equal recognition as a model of 
all the religious virtues. ' He saw nothing save God present 
everywhere ; his days were filled with practices of penance, mor- 



100 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

tification, humility, obedience and charity, which virtues differed 
among themselves only by new degrees oi fervor. ' 

'Being appointed, on leaving the Novitate, to take charge of a 
class of small children, and being visited by the Brother Inspec- 
tor, who asked him if he experienced any difficulty, Brother 
Dominick responded, with a gesture of his hands, pointing to 
his children: ^ I see nothing but God.' The Brother Inspector 
withdrew, enraptured, leaving with God, him who knew how to 
find God in all places. 

" Shortly after, lie was named Sub-Director of the Novitiate, 
where he found Brother Hilarion his father, and two of his 
younger brothers, who were finishing their novitiate. His el- 
dest brother had preceded him in the Novitiate. Such was 
Brother Domini ck's conduct in seeking the advancement of his 
own father and brothers, that, his historian says, ' I know not 
which to admire the more. The father and the son gave examples 
of virtue which would have done honor to the solitaires of the 
Thebaid. ' Their deaths were fitting crownings to their lives. 
Brother Dominick died a victim consumed by divine love, while 
his father, Brother Hilarion, finished his career during a journey 
of sixty-six leagues made on foot, in the midst of winter, being 
then more than seventy, thus dying a victim of obedience. 

'' Brother Louis showed himself a man of consummate virtue 
even in the Novitiate. Still, it may be said that the love of re- 
tirement was his distinctive characteristic. Named Director of 
Bethel, he spent twelve years there, as careful to shun the world 
as a Carthusian might have been. Those who had any busi- 
ness to transact with him found him affable, condescending, 
graeeful, and of an agreeable conversation. Seculars respected a 
man they saw but seldom, and who had the appearance rather 
of a citizen of heaven. 

" His extraordinary mortification had every reason to be satis- 
fied. God permitted that he should be afflicted with sciatic gout 



An Appeal to Catliolic Youth. 101 

during twenty years, which rendered his life a species of purga- 
tory. That nothing might be wanting to his sufferings, in imita- 
tion of the Yen. De Da Salle, he was placed upon a sort of frame- 
work, under which a strong fire was lighted. This allowed him 
to appreciate the sufferings of St. Lawrence, with this difference, 
that the Brother's torture was repeated several times per year. 
His infirmity, which would have kept any one else entire months 
in bed, did not prevent him once from being up with the com- 
munity, nor from going to Holy Mass. Nature was affrighted, 
but he was deaf to her cries. Yet, a small stone coming under 
his foot sufficed to cause him the most acute suffering. Far 
from complaining, he blessed God with gratitude that He was 
pleased to give him a small portion of the Cross of His 
Son. 

" From what has been said, you may easily understand, M. V. 
D. B., what were the other virtues of Brother Louis. He so 
enjoyed tlie presence of God that he was obliged to admit that 
distraction could not take possession of his soul. His obedience 
was so perfect that having exposed his difficulties and his 
wishes, he always concluded by saying : ' Whatever I may have 
said, I submit entirely to your good pleasure. ' For him, his 
Superior's orders were the orders of God himself. The love 
of one's enemies and mutual forbearance were capital points 
for this religious. Moreover, he had the leputation of being tlie 
most skilful of consolers of the afflicted. This is what he v/as 
wont to say : ' When I am in suffering, I believe that God loves 
me. I am only uneasy as to God's love for me when I am 
■without suffering.' The reputation for sanctity which he had 
acquired at Bethel was confirmed by the Dean of the town. 
When going from the sacristy to this Brother's obsequies, he 
said to his reverend companions : ' We are going to see the 
body of a saint, and the greatest saint of my parish.' 

" Brother Stanislaus, who was gifted with every quality of 



102 The Venerable De La Salle. 

body, heart and mind, understood all the dangers to which 
such accomplishments would • expose him in the world. He 
sought a shelter for his innocence in religion where, from the 
moment of his admission, he proved himself a perfect example 
of all virtues. * We have, then, the right to conclude,' says his 
biographer, * that to the gift of perseverance he united that of 
baptismal innocence.' 

" In the Novitiate ' he caused his confreres to despair' of even 
imitating him in his acts of mortification. His modesty was 
such that he would not have known his companions, if his 
employment had not required him to fix his eyes upon those 
who had recourse to his services. 

"As his Director at times remarked that sadness was de- 
picted upon Brother Stanislaus' countenance, he asked the 
reason, and received this reply : ' You neglect me, you do not 
exercise me, you allow me to sink under the load of my vices.' 
So simple was he, and of so great an ope7iness of heart, that his 
renditions were the faithful mirrors of his soul.' Faith made 
him to revere the Bules ' as if God had presented them written 
with his own hand.' We may thus judge of his regularity. 
Lave of silence and recollection held his tongue, his eyes and 
his ears in captivity, * so that it might be said he was thus 
rendered deaf, blind and mute. More than a year before his 
death he had acquired the almost uninterrupted presence of 
God, scarcely, if ever, losing sight thereof.' Shall we then be 
astonished that * every place, action and position were for him 
suited to prayer and meditation?' But what shall be said of 
his obedience, unless it be ' that all in him obeyed : the mind, 
by renouncing all natural lights ; the heart, by the sacrifice of 
its repugnances ; the hand, by the punctual, joyous and truly 
reverential execution of orders which, proving replete with 
affection, edified and stimulated all spectators!' 

" Named Director of the Novitiate opened at Avignon, 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 103 

Brother Stanislaus * seemed to have forgotten his body, to 
think only of the obligation under which he was confirming, by 
his example, the lessons which he taught on humility, mortifi- 
cation and the other virtues.' The office of Visitor, which he 
afterwards filled, seemed to show the Brothers of the South a 
living image of the Venerable De La Salle. The dreadful 
infirmity with which he was afflicted, and which tortured him 
for more than ten years, could not diminish his zeal, nor make 
him postpone rising for one minute. It finally reduced his 
body to what seemed a walking corpse. Finally obliged to 
retire, he deserved this eulogium, read in his necrological 
notice : ' Brother Stanislaus has died as he lived, that is, as a 
saint, the 4th of November.' 

" The life of Brother Irenee is too well known to you, M. V. 
D. B., that we should here speak lengthily of him. You know 
how this gentleman, a brilliant officer in the army in his youth, 
that is till twenty-two years, was afterwards exercised by our 
Venerable Father, and how he attained in a short time to so 
high a degree of perfection that he was judged fit to fill some 
of the most important positions in the Institute, since he was 
successively Director of the Novitiate, and of the Boarding 
School, and First Assistant from 1725 till 1747. Though we 
must admit that he excelled in all virtues, it must be said that 
humility and mortification were the objects of his predilection. 
Thus did he wish to expiate the pride he had felt while in the 
world, in his noble extraction, and in his dress as an officer^ 
All that could mortify his mind, or curb his body, was his 
greatest ambition ; obedience alone prevented him from going 
to excess in this respect. The following instance will enable 
us to judge :" 

While Director of Novices, he was sent one day to purchase 
provisions in the market. He took one of his Novices with 
him. But, before going out, he was careful to clothe himself 



104 The Venerable Be La Solle. 

and his companion in a many-colored, patclied garment, which 
was extremely old, and called for this reason ' The Robe of St. 
Alexis.' They patrolled the streets of Eouen, with a basket on 
the arm and a sack on their back. They were fully gratified, 
for the children and the populace followed them, shouting and 
insulting as they proceeded ; some even threw stones and mud. 
It was thus that the fervent Director taught his disciple to de- 
spise the world, and made them imitate the holy foolishness of 
the Cross, of which St. Francis of Assisium, St. John of God, St. 
Felix of Cantalice, St. Philip Neri, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and 
so many others, have given such sublime examples. Neverthe- 
less, it was deemed proper to forbid him similar outings. 

"-So far did he carry his mortification in the repasts, that the 
superiors were obliged to command him to take the necessary 
nourishment for his body, against which he waged a ceaseless 
war. Moreover, he had always with him a provision of absynthe 
powder with which he sprinkled his food, after the example of 
the venerable Founder. His regularity was so perfect that a 
Brother Assistant, who had watched to detect even his least 
omission or negligence, declared, altera year's scrutiny, that he 
had not perceived him a single moment in default. Mental 
prayer, which has always been the most cherished exercise of 
the saints, was the delight of Brother Irenee's soul. Many 
traits, unintentionally allowed to escape him, prove that he had 
attained a high degree of contemplation. He never lost his 
recollection nor the presence of God, and was thus admirably dis- 
posed for divine communication. 

" So far did he reform his character, naturally quick, turbulent 
and arrogant, that he became most reserved, patient and ar^ioi- 
ahle. 

"His obedience knew no limits, for he was wont to say: *We 
are religious, but in as far as we have no will nor judgment 
other than the order of the Superior, obedience is the foundation, 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth 105 

the support and tlie spring of tlie religions life.' He often knelt 
at the feet of his Superiors, when he had to address them, and 
begged them to exercise him in ohedience^ without regard to 
his tastes, his repugnance or his ideas. 

" This is what he also did to his Novices. He imposed pub- 
lic penances for the least delay, the least examination of an 
order given. ' Religion,' said he, * being a j^aradise, Lucifer and 
the serpent, who tempted the angels and caused our first 
parents to fall, must be driven out — all is lost to the Institute 
if disobedience be not chased therefrom.' 

We cannot better close these laconic remarks upon Brother 
Irenee than in saying with the author of the life of tliis virtuous 
Brother : ' Such was Brother Irenee ; he realized in himself all 
that had been taught by the Holy Founder ; he was the model 
of all virtues. Our age may therein learn that God never aban- 
dons His Church, but that at all times he favors it with men 
who attain the highest perfection. ' 

" It must not be believed that the notice we have just rapidly 
sketched regards Brothers who were the exception, or a few 
who were extraordinary as compared with others. Far from 
this, if we cite them, it is rather because of the positions they 
occupied, and the consequent influence they must have exer- 
cised. The picture which the first historian paints of the 
Brothers in general, proves that all those who were neither 
affrighted nor dejected by the sort of life established by our 
Venerable Founder, were worthy emulators of those about 
whom we have been speaking. Here is the manner in which 
he expresses it : 

"* The children, and Brothers, studied their Fathei to imitate 
him ; it was then holy passion to follow in his footsteps, even 
those most painful, leading to perfection. In following the 
thorny path traced by M. De La Salle, they came to find the 
cruel instruments of penance with which he tormented his 



106 The Venerable De La Salle, 

flesh They spoke only of heaven and the paths lead- 
ing thereto. The language of the community savored in 
naught of the worldly spirit. The study of humiliation, of the 
abnegation of self, the despising of the world, silence, recol- 
lection, the interior spirit, retreat and solitude, the love of 
crosses and sufferings, were their usual occupations. To know 
Christ and Him crucified, to model themselves upon this ex- 
emplar, and to reproduce it in their own persons, always to 
bear mortification in their bodies, to become living portraits, 
perfect copies, this sufficed to the first Brothers — in this con- 
sisted their whole ambition.' 

" * So great was the spiritual fire created by the Father among 
his children that they could not contain themselves within the 
limits of ordinary fervor, they breathed God alone. Filled with a 
holy desire for mortification, they were happy only when allow- 
ed to give their desire full effect. . . . Yet these true children 
of obedience would have thought that in macerating their flesh 
they were doing penance for the devil, and not for God, had they 
practiced austerities which obedience had not sanctioned by its 
approbation," 

Here, we stop quoting from the recital of what the Bro- 
thers were at the origin of the Institute, guided as they were by 
the immediate and personal direction of the Venerable De La 
Salle. Still we shall add a few extracts from the life of Brother 
Bartholomew, first successor to the holy Founder, that you 
may judge with what care he watched over the observance of 
the rule, the practices and the customs that the Founder had 
transmitted to him as a sacred trust, and of which the Superior- 
Generals, our venerated predecessors, have not shown them- 
selves less vigilant or faithful guardians. 

" Brother Bartholomew was first destined by his parents 
for the ecclesiastical state. Having received the tonsure and 
commenced the study of theology, he heard within his heart 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 107 

a call, telling him that to the religious state of life did Provi- 
dence reserve him. To him it seemed that no sacrifice could be 
too great. Hence he presented himself at the Monastery of La 
Trappe, then under the guidance of that celebrated reformer 
Abbe De Ranee, who told him that he was called to another 
kind of religious life. 

" Learning soon after that at the gates of Paris there had 
been founded a new community where members received only 
opprobrium and contempt in return for the care bestowed upon 
the poorest and most abandoned of the lower classes, he was 
filled with joy, hoping there to find that for which his soul 
yearned — mortification, poverty, insults and ignominy. A se- 
cret voice said and repeated, ' Hither, God calleth you.' 

"He found the Brothers such as they had been reported. 
Once in the Novitiate, he became a model for all the other 
novices by his,/en;or, mortification, regularity, silence, recollection, 
mildness and the fidelity with which he followed the counsels of 
his superiors. 

" The docility with which he submitted to direction, the 
complete openness of heart which he manifested, were to him 
of the greatest assistance against the prolonged and dreadful 
assaults he had to encounter. 

'* The devil believing how much depended upon the perse- 
verance of Brother Bartholomew, and how much good was 
to be realized by this religious for the new Institute, became 
enraged against him. It is impossible otherwise to explain the 
nature and intensity of the temptations endured by this Bro- 
ther, despite the macerations, humiliations and the fervent 
prayers to which he had recourse. 

" Finally, to remove every chance of attack, he spontaneously 
made the irrevocable vow of stability in the Institute, adding 
thereto those of obedience and perpetual chastity. 

" He soon had reason to flatter himself upon the steps taken. 



108 The Venerable Be La BoXie 

His father dying shortly after, Brother Bartholomew was 
ureently demanded by his mother, then in straightened cir- 
cumstances, to become her support, as indispensable in her old 
a.2e. But on explainiiig to her the obiigatious A\liich bound 
him to the congregation, he proved to her that he no longer 
belonged to his family, nor to himself, but to God alone, to 
whom he had consecrated himself entirely and without re- 
serve." 

It would be superfluous to speak of the daily progress Bro- 
ther Bartholomew made in all virtues since the Yen. De La 
Salle, who had trained him and knew him intimately, chose 
him first to replace him as Director of Novices, and then at 
the head of the community. Finally, he left him in Paris, 
while he went to visit some houses in Provence. The prudent 
founder desired, in this species of retreat, to give a certain 
satisfaction to his enemies, hoping thus to procure the calm 
and peace then greatly needed by the Institute. 

Elected to succeed the Yenerable Founder, when the latter 
had obliged the Brothers to accept his resignation, Brother 
Bartholomew had to govern the Institute in times so critical 
that they seemed to have been announced by the Apostle of 
Nations, when he says: "In th3 last timss, some shall depart 
from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines 
of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their con- 
sciences seared." Jansenism then ravaged certain parts of 
France, in which the Brothers were established, and had even 
taken power into its own hands in some localities. This state- 
ment will suffice to make known the firmness infaitJi, joined with 
the sweetiwss and prudence, needed by Brother Bartholomew to 
succeed as he did in preserving his inferiors from the contagion, 
without giving any pretext to the adherents of the new errors 
to close the Christian schools. Without entering into irritating 
or sterile discussions, the prudent superior was content with 



All Appeal to Catholic Youth 109 

often saying to liis Brothers : " Let us observe the last instruc- 
tions of our Venerable Father. Eor my part, I thank God that 
He gave me to be born of excellent catholics, and that He has 
given me so great an aversion for all new doctrines." Moreover, 
he recommended nothing so strongly as the spirit ot faith. In 
all his letters he returned to the subject ; " Endeavor always to 

be governed by the views of faith Look upon crosses 

with the eyes of faith, and they will appear to you as presents 

from heaven Above all, act only through motives oi 

faith I exhort and beseech you with all my heart that 

you be conducted in all your actions only by views of faith. 
.... It suffices not to have commenced to enter into the 
spirit of faith, you must afterwards live and act only through 
this spirit." Thus, in and out of season, did he exhort the 
Brothers to be very exact : First, " to keep that which is com- 
mitted to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and 
oppositions of knowledge, falsely so called." Secondly, to 
animate all their actions by the spirit of faith, which is the 
spirit of the Institute." 

We must renounce speaking longer, M. V. D. B., of the les- 
sons and examples of all the virtues furnished us by this first 
successor of the founder of our Institute. Time fails us. Bro- 
ther Bartholomew was, according to the declaration of the vener- 
able first historian, the most attached child ol his Yenerated 
father, the most submissive disciple of this great master in the 
spiritual life, and the most perfect image of the holy Founder. 

His death v/hich, thouQ^h he had foreseen it, seemed not so 
near, prevented him from having a final trait of resemblance 
with his beloved father in God. Like the Yen. De La Salle, he 
sighed for the time when he might place the burden of govern- 
ing in other hands ; it was only into the hands of the Sovereign 
Judge that he could place his withdrawal. Happily, he had 
been '' thefait])ful and wise steward tvhom his lord setteih over his 



110 The Venerable De La Salle. 

family to give them their measure of wheat in due season,'' and he 
was found in the exact accomplishment of his duties. Doubt- 
less, as a consequence of this fidelity, he heard the consoling 
words : " Well done, good andfaithfvH servant, hecause thou hast been 
faithful, over afeio things, I ivill place thee over many things ; enter 
thou into the joy of our Lord" He was interred beside the tomb 
of the Venerable De La Salle. Providence thus wished to 
reunite after death, tivo men tvho had been so dosely allied in life. 

" The generalship of Brother Bartholomew lasted but three 
years ; but this short period was hedged with difficulties and 
filled with most painful anxieties. At certain moments, the 
attack seemed directed against several of our houses at the 
same time. The rudest shocks came at times from those who 
should have been the greatest protectors of the Brothers ; but 
Providence proved that, from that moment he watched over our 
Institute, which, being closely united to the chair of Peter, 
shares its destinies, which are to be frequently buffeted by 
the storm, but never to be submerged. 

" It will ever be thus, so long as the Brothers follow the 
lessons and examples of their Venerable Father and of his first 
disciples ; so long as the Spirit of Faith shall remain in the 

SOUL OP THE BODY OF THIS INSTITUTE," 



CHAPTER VII, 

location. — Call to the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. — 
Remembrance of the lives read in previous Chapter. — Doctrine of 
the Saints, especially Sts. Thomas Aquinas and Liguori on the voca- 
tion to the Religious State. — Special Excellence of the Christian 
Teacher' s vocation. — Objections to following an early call to the re- 
ligious life. — Dangers of delay. — Exposure to sin. — Who should 
encourage youth to serve God in the life and work of a Brother of 
the Christian Schools ? — False prophets sometimes unfortunately 
found even in God's holy service ! — Value placed upon the Brother's 
lifeand work^ by his Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of New York; 
other expressions of esteem by Most Rev'd and Right Rev'd Bishops. 
Words of Mgr. de Segiir. — ''The blind man who sees well." — A 
parting word to Catholic Youth. 

Young reader, what think you of such lives as these? What 
a grace to have been called to follow such a course, to do good to 
men, by seeking the welfare of the dearest portion of Christ's 
flock ! Again, how consoling the thought, the assurance, that 
such lives were not exceptions ; that iii every day and in every 
hour, similar examples were furnished by Brothers in every 
community. Does this not show that these good, holy young 
men, for most of them were not old, found the yoke of the Lord 
sweet, his burden light ? Truly, does it not strike you that they 
received the hundred-fold promised, even in this life, to those 
who leave father and mother, brother and sister for the sake of 
Christ ? What else than God's all-powerful grace could enable 
the good Brother who had two classes and a sick companion to 
mind, to say in a playful way : ** Why, I have one foot in my own 

111 



112 Tie Venerable De La Salle. 

class, the other in my companion's, my heart is with the sick Bro- 
ther, and my soul in heaven !" What faith in good Brother Tim- 
othy, who could say : "Father, bless my swollen knee, and I shall 
walk," and who, after the blessing, started on a prolonged jour- 
ney afoot, perfectly healed ! What love of the cross must have 
been Brother Irenee's, who scourged his body till blood flowed 
copiously, to enable his companions, or rather his novices, to 
overcome their own flesh ! Must not the good God have looked 
down upon and spoken of such fervent disciples as " beloved 
sons in whom He was well pleased?'' Yet such is the life led, 
such the career pursued by every worthy child of the Venerable 
De La Salle. Such is the life to which your own teachers daily 
devote themselves. It may not appear so, but remember that 
" all the beauty of the King's ' children' is from within." The 
most austere followers of Christ show least traces of their mortifi- 
cation. St Francis de Sales when twitted by a thoughtless per- 
son on the fine quality of his episcopal dress, invited his critic to 
a private room, and having first playfully asked the fault-finder 
to show what kind of under-dress he wore, quietly opened the 
front of his own gown and showed the hair-shirt beneath. 
While young saints waited upon their lord at court, in the 
most costly garb, their bodies were tortured by a heavy cincture 
of iron, and many queens and kings, 'neath their robes of state, 
have worn the most trying instruments of penance. Again, what 
more glorious work, what more useful to mankind can be follow- 
ed, than that which was pursued by our Divine Lord himself, 
when he called little children unto him ! What more touching 
than a mission which resembles that of St. Francis Xavier who 
hastened from street to street ringing a little bell, calling 
children to teach them the fear of the Lord ! What more noble 
calling than that which the Church declares to be of the high- 
est importance, essential to her welfare, and the salvation of 
her children. — Listen to the voices of our bishops. Hear the 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 113 

will of God, as made known in the decrees of tlie last meeting of 
the hierarchy of the Province of New York : 

Does not your heart lean towards a state, whose mission, the 
late illustrious Cardinal Archbishop of Malines (Belgium) de- 
clared to be more needed now than at any previous time ? 
What of that high calling whose work it is to sculpture living 
angels from out the block of human nature, presented by every 
child who enters a Christian School ? Can you imagine a cause 
more worthy of your highest ambition than to raise up for God 
and society a Christian offspring, which " can only be secured 
by a Christian education." Eemember that *' Christian virtues 
do not grow spontaneously in the soul. They are the result of 
careful and constant culture ; and this must begin in early 
childhood." Can you ask any grander field than that in which 
the harvest is great, but the laborers few ? What more lasting 
source of gratitude can you offer the world, society at large, 
than that which you would be entitled to claim by joining a 
body to whom is confided '* the wonderful privilege of training 
immortal souls to fulfil the duties assigned them by their 
heavenly Father, that they may receive from his hands an 
eternal crown in Heaven. " . . .In such a calling, it will be yours 
to take the same care of children '*that a skilful gardener 
would take of delicate flowers which he knows are highly prized 
by his master. If it becomes the imperative duty of parents 
" to send their children to Christian Schools " surely it must be 
the imperative duty of others to take upon themselves the 
task of governing and teaching these pupils. " The question 
of religious education is the paramount question of the day, in 
the solution of which, our destiny as a Christian people must 
depend," so declare the highest authorities in the Catholic 
Church in our land. Is there anything which you, youthful 
reader, can imagine as higher or more ennobling than to pur- 
sue a vocation which tends to realize the hopes and wishes, 



114 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

the prayers and the commands of prelates alike distinguished 
for their piety, learning and zeal ? Think for a moment of 
what it is to take part in opening and maintaining Christian 
Schools, whose mission is pointed out so forcibly by the same 
high authority : " The Catholic school sows the good seed in 
the hearts of children, to bear in after years glorious fruits for 

our country and our Religion" in these schools your 

children may learn ... all that will make them hereafter loyal 
citizens of their country, and valiant soldiers of Christ and his 
holy Church. By these schools the efforts of infidelity will 
be rendered abortive : by them will Religion be fortified ; by 
them will your Pastors be able to repeat the touching words 
of the Divine Master : " Father, those whom thou gavest me I 
have kept, and not one of them is lost. '* 

In so important a question as that of religious vocation, it is 
of the greatest moment to understand the subject fully, and 
earnestly to pray God to give us strength to follow, when he 
makes known his divine will. *' It is certain that each child 
has a vocation,'* says Mgr. Dupanloup, in his work upon " The 
child." **Itis a grave error to suppose that feiv are noiv called to 
the religious life; " says Mgr. de Segur. " The Gospel was written 
to suit all times and people ; it is to these that our Lord con- 
stantly holds out the invitation : * If thou wilt he perfecty go sell 
what thou hast, give it to the poor, and then foUow me' .... Surely 
if the state of perfection is not to be the portion of all men, they 
should at least desire it ! Can we imagine that the Almighty 
would wish to exclude any one from a state in which few- 
est obstacles are met, and in which we may find the greatest 
number of means whereby to attain our end, the eternal 
salvation of our immortal souls ? Let us recall the happy 
assurance given by Our Divine Lord, Many are called, and 
dread that, through their own fault, so few are chosen. If we 
except rare cases in which social position requires persons 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth 115 

to remain in the world, or where the absolute duties of family 
restrain, the generality of the faithful may choose the religious 
life ; though among all these there may be but a limited num- 
ber, who are so directly called, that their salvation would be 
very dangerously imperilled by resisting the invitation. 

Sts. Thomas and Liguori teach this doctrine, which is con- 
curred in by the unanimous voice of the holy writers. Voca- 
tions are not wanting where faith and piety still flourish ; the 
Almighty reserves to himself many chosen ones who will save 
their own souls and the souls of their brethren. 

To choose well, we must know and consider the end for which 
we have been created. Our choice must tend to realize this ob- 
ject or end. The more fully to impress the importance of this 
choice upon our mind, let us remember that it is a question of 
salvation, the most important of all affairs. A good choice gives 
every reason to hope for salvation ; he who refuses to choose 
well exposes himself greatly to the danger of being damned. 

Are you talented ? Then, be doubly careful in your choice. 
Providence has given you these talents to be employed in the ser- 
vice of God, and you are under the greater obligation to choose 
well. In this way will you make the most use of your 
talents. 

If you are quite young, this is not an obstacle to making 
a good choice. Many of the greatest saints have given them- 
selves to God almost from the cradle. Abundant fruits are 
destined for those who thus choose in time. Does grace call 
thus early ? Know then the great dangers of those who delay 
their choice. 

Strive earnestly to acquire those dispositions which assist 
one to make a good choice. Remove all that may prove an 
obstacle to your calling. Determine upon some acts of piety 
and religion which you will perform to obtain the grace of 
making a good choice. Listen to your Confessor, be guided by 



116 The Venerable De La Salle. 

liis prudent counsels. Be sure to follow a daily regulation, 
approved of by some pious person in whom you have confidence. 
Be not impatient if you still commit many faults. Perhaps 
you need the graces of a higher state to keep you in the straight 
and narrow path. 

Be not deceived ; making your choice, and leaving the world, 
are different things. Do not allow human motives, family 
interests, to interfere with your choice. Cast worldly hopes 
and prospects aside. To choose well, compare the perishable 
present with the eternal future. Listen to, study, and be 
directed by, the gospel maxims and the sayings and examples of 
the saints. Beware of counsellors ; no person can choose well 
with a bad adviser. In all your efforts, remember that prayer 
is the key that opens the treasury of divine wisdom. Oftea 
read the lives of those who have chosen well ; be encouraged 
by the power of their example, and follow the good inspirations 
resulting therefrom. 

Besides consoling yourself by such encouraging motives as 
those just given, recall the fact that those ungrateful persons 
who obstinately resist the call of God, are in the end deprived of 
His graces. Bring to mind the terrible punishments inflicted 
on those who do not obey God. Strive to form an exact idea of 
the secular state with all its trials, dangers and transitory re- 
wards and gratifications. Then, form an equally exact idea of 
the religious state. Study and strive to appreciate the nine 
fruits of the Beligious Life, attributed to St. Bernard, and in 
which that great doctor and saint of the Church shows how 
man in holy religion : 

1. Lives more purely ; 2. Falls more rarely ; 3. Bises more 
promptly ; 4 Is bedewed by the waters of grace more frequent- 
ly ; 5. Passes his life more holily ; 6. Beposes more securely ; 7. 
Dies more confidently ; 8. Is released more promptly ; 9. Is re- 
warded more abundantly. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 117 

Such considerations will make you feel the beauty, the loveli- 
ness, the worth of the religious state. Bear in mind, youthful 
reader, it is not a question of greater or lesser good, it is one of 
salvation. Without following your vocation there is a possibility 
but only a possibility of salvation. 

The world hungers for the bread of life ; children in multitudes 
ask for teachers who will break to them the staff of the word of 
truth, the saving doctrine of Mother Church. "Who, called by 
the divine voice, can refuse ? Who, with heart beating re- 
sponsively to the higher and nobler aspirations of Christian 
heroism, will say ** No !" when called upon by the Almighty, in 
words which conscience hears and heart feels, to labor in that 
grand field, the noblest, the highest, the most acceptable to 
Mother Church and therefore to God, the work of Christian 
education, " the great question of the hour." 

Stay, youthful reader, before going farther in your reading ; 
offer up a fervent prayer to know whether such is not yotir call- 
i: g ; and if such be the case, thank the good God ; praise Mary 
Immaculate through whom this grace has been given you ; and 
when, in the happy moment of the accomplishment of your 
vocation, you are vested in the habit of the Brother of th© 
Christian Schools, say, " To God, from whom all blessings flow, 
be praise ! " Thanked be Mary, who has led me to the foot of 
the altar of sacrifice, where I can best secure the interests of 
Jesus, the Saviour of men ; grateful offerings be made to my dear 
angel guardian who " from unrighteous ways hath saved, lest 
in error's paths we stray." 

Yes, youthful reader, such a vocation is one which will 
give heaven cause to rejoice, not that the one sinner has been 
converted, but that there has been joined to the army of Chris- 
tian teachers another worker who will not only teach and di- 
rect the ninty-nine who need not penance, but also save the 
hundredth who has fallen away. 



118 The Venerable De La SaEe. 

Does not such a mission inspire you ? Can you think of 
the good tube done and yet remain callous ? 2So ; such is not the 
character of the truly Catholic Christian boy. His is a noble dis- 
position, a willing heart, a generous soul — such is yours, youth- 
ful reader, if, called by the good God, you put your hand gen- 
erously to the plough and never turn back, thus proving your- 
self "worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven." 

What more glorious task ; for two hundred and more years, 
thoTisands of Brothers of the Christian Schools have devoted 
themselves to the cause of Christian education. In all t}iat time 
heaven has been peopled by the souls saved through Christian 
religious teachings. Now is the day, now the hour, when 
more gleaners are called into the vineyard where " the harvest 
is great, the laborers few." Will you listen to the voice of 
grace, the call of God? If so, blessed indeed is your lot, for 
*' of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." 

You may hear it said even by well-meaning people that *'iT 

IS AS WELL TO REMAIN IN THE WORLD AS TO ENTER RELIGION." Yet 

all the Fathers and Doctors of the Church teach the contrary. 
St. Thomas says that "entering into the religious state is so 

meritorious that it remits all one's sins." "If " says the 

Angel of the Schools, " a feiv alms suffice to redeem one's faults 

before God with how much greater reason may we count 

upon the satisfaction made for his sins by him who gives him- 
self entirely to God by entering into the religious state " 

*' We read in the lives of the Fathers that when we embrace the 
religiou.i state, we obtain a grace similar to that of baptism.' 
St. Alphonsus Liguori teaches a like doctrine. And what of the 
happiness enjoyed by those who have embraced a re%ious life? 
St. Liguori quoting St. Scholastica sajs • 'If men understood 
the happiness of the monastic life, the whole world would 
soDn become a convent." St. Mary Magdalene dePazzi added 
that, with such knowledge, " Men would scale the monastic 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth 119 

walls to secure admission." The blessed ' Seraphine d'Ascoli ' 
declared that he "would not give one leaf of his palm-belt for all 
the kingdoms of the world." 

But, you may hear it urged *' time enough ; no need of 

SUCH HASTE ; BE PRUDENT, IT IS NOT WISE TO ENTER RELIGION TOO 

EARLY." . Many pretend that youth requires " to see for itself. " 
" Wait " say they, "till your ideas are fixed ; it is better not to 
have occasion to regret the engagements we have made. " 
Again, St. Thomas comes to solve and refute this difficulty. " It 
is not only permitted," he says, "but it is even expedient to 
abandon the world from our earliest years, to live in the seclu- 
sion of the religious life. " 

In treating of those who have entered religion at an early day, 

St. Anselm compares them to angels Is it not usual to 

employ children in those delicate arts in which they are to spend 
their lives. Those who are to become ecclesiastics are trained 
thereto from their earliest years. Those who embrace the mili- 
tary career, begin young ; apprentices begin at an early age to 
master the secrets of their trade. Why should not this rule 
apply to such as wish to become religious ? 

" So SERIOUS A RESOLUTION SHOULD ONLY BE TAKEN AFTEil 
LENGTHY AND MATURE DELIBERATION." 

So say those who object to youth entering religion. St. 
Thomas, again, refutes this assertion by declaring that prolonged 
deliberation is needed and the advice of many secured when the 
question is very doubtful, but when things are certain and mani- 
fest, it is not necessary to obtain such counsel. Now, when en- 
trance into religion is concerned, we may be sure that the act in 
itself is better than to remain in the world. He who doubts 
this, questions what our Lord himself counsels. " Hasten, " 
says St. Jerome, " hasten, I beseech thee : cut the rope which 
holds the boat to the shore, rather than lose time in untying 
it. " As cited by the Doctors of the Church, let us remember 



120 The Venerable l)e La ISalLe. 

the examples of Sts. James and John, St. Matthew and the 
prophet Elisens, who at once left all things to follow the divine 
call. In commenting npon these words of our Lord : " Follow rne, 
let the dead bury their dead,'' a holy writer remarks : "Jestis Christ 
speaks not thus that we may despise and make little of the love 
which we owe our parents, but to show that nothing must be pre- 
ferred to the affairs of heaven, and that even when urged by most 
enticing natural motives, we should not lightly defer our decision. 
You may ask what is more necessary than to bury one's father ? 
"What more easy ? But little time was required for this ! Yet 
the devil in all these cases seeks some loophole by which to in- 
troduce his temptations. Hence Holy Writ instructs us not to 
defer from day to day. . . . All of which tell us to prefer 
spiritual things to all else, even those which appear most 
necessary. If the Lord finds fault with those who asked time to 
comply with a duty so seemingly necessary as the burial of a 
father, what will be his treatment of those who pretend that 
they require much time in which to study whether they will 
follow his counsels ?....." 
Others tell us that : "We must most carefully examine if the 

VOCATION IS TRULY FROM GOD. " 

" St. Thomas treating of this, quotes St. John, who writes : 
* Believe not in every spirit, but try the spirits whether they 
are of God. ' He then answers his own objection : 

These words try the spirits refer to things doubtful in them- 
selves — in which the spirit of God is not clearly visible. Thus, 
those who are already in religion may doubt whether they who 
present themselves for admission are impelled by a proper 
spirit or are actuated by a good motive. Hence they may and 
should test applicants to discover their motives of action. But, 
he who feels himself called to enter religion has no reason to 
doubt that his inspiration is from above. . . . The Angelic Doctor 
still further argues : " May not the devil transform himself into 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 121 

an angel of light?" To this he replies: "This is true, yet. 
supposing that the devil urged anyone to enter into religion, 
this would be a good work, and conformable to what angels of 
light perform. There is, therefore, no danger in following this 
inspiration. .... The Almighty often employs the malice of 
the devil to labor for the salvation of souls. " 

"All this is true," I hear some would-be-wise neighbor say, 
who has been let into the secret of your intended entrance into- 
the religious life ; but, once more : 

" There is no hurry, there will always be time enough to 
ENTER." . . .St. Liguori is of quite a different opinion, anddeclares^ 
that as soon as the Lord calls any one to a perfect state, he 
who is thus favored should respond at once, unless he wishes to- 
endanger his eternal salvation. Otherwise, our Divine Lord 
would reproach him as he did the rich man in the gospel, who, 
when invited to follow Christ, asked time first to go and sell his 
goods and to put his affairs in order, and to whom our Saviour 
replied ; *^He who puts his hand to the plough and then looks backy is- 
not fit for thekingdom of heaven.'' The divine grace with which 
our minds are enlightened is transitory, not permanent ; which 
made St. Thomas say that, when these holy solicitations call to % 
more perfect life, we should hasten to follow them without delay.. 
How surprising is the conduct of the world in this respect ! 
Where there is a question of giving one's self to God, no amount 
of delay is too great, we cannot be too slow in reaching a deci- 
sion ; whereas, when the service of the world is at stake, when 
we are asked to enter its ranks and assume the dread respon- 
sibilities which its service involves, we may act with all possible 
despatch. According to them, God must wait, while the world 
demands prompt and ample service. Yet we have the words of 
our Divine Lord himself assuring us of the contrary. "My 
yoke is sweet, my burden light, " he tells us, and to make it 
still more attractive, to the promise of eternal life in the next. 



122 Tlie Venerable Be La SaUe. 

he guarantees a hundred-fold in houses, lands, brothers, sisters 
^nd all kindred joys and privileges here below. Those who 
will read Rodriguez's beautiful and touching chapters on this 
subject in his *' Religious Perfection" will require no further 
discussion of the subject. 

To the objections already cited and refuted must be added 
the world's final argument, in which they sum up all the force 
iind cunning left in their store-house of reasons, why the good 
God should not be served unreservedly. They declare that 
• 'After all, the religious vocation is a mere matter op counsel ; 
WE are not bound to follow it." To this, St. Liguori answers : 
*' People of the world make no scruple of telling young persons 
called to the religious life that they can serve God in every 
state, even in the midst of the world. What is most surprising 
is that such thoughts are expressed by religious and even by 
priests. . . . Yes, it is quite true that we can serve God in every 
place, when we are not called to the religious state : but not 
when we are called, and that we wish to please our own fancy 
hy remaining in the world. In this latter case it is difficult 
to live well and to serve God." (See " Choice of a State of Life.") 

In his Moral Theology, the same saint proposes this ques- 
tion : 

''When we are called to serve God in religion, is it a sin, and 
what sin is it, to abandon one's vocation ? " 

To neglect a religious vocation is not, in itself, a sin, for what 
is merely counselled does not, of itself, oblige under pain of sin. 
Yet, owing to the danger to which our eternal salvation is 
exposed, when we choose a state of life outside of what the 
divine will indicates, he may not be excused from some sin 
who is unfaithful to his vocation. If, owing to his weakness, 
of which he has had experience, anyone finds that his salvation 
is seriously exposed, that he is likely to lose his soul by depriv- 
ing himself of the assistance which he would find in the religious 



An Appeal to CatJiolic Youth. 123 ■ 

ji 
state, sncli a person cannot he excused from the guilt of mortal sin, 
who, despite this knowledge, refuses to comply with the call of 
God's holy will to enter a religious community. St. Gregory 
the Great declares that "many can attain eternal salvation 
only by totally abandoning all things." 

According to the generally received opinion of the Doctors 
of the Church, it is a mortal sin to dissuade any ons/rom entering 

the religious state, ivho is called thereto If this be a mortal 

sin, it is hard to find how it can be a lesser sin for one to cause 
himself similar injury. 

Let us remember the remarkable words of St. Bernard, who, 
in speaking of the world and its dangers, says : Therein "chas- 
tity is threatened amid delights ; humility among riches ; piety 
by the multiplicity of worldly things ; truth in the midst of 
many words ; charity in the turmoil of a perverse age. Fly, 
hasten from the midst of this Babylon, and save your souls ! '* 

And now, having shown how serious a matter it is to tamper 
with a religious vocation, how strong the inducements to follow 
the divine call when made known, how difficult to reach the. 
golden gate by any other road than that which Divine Prov- 
idence calls his chosen ones to walk in, let us ask : 

"TV^HO SHOULD ENCOURAGE, DEVELOPE AND FOSTER RELIGIOUft 
TOCATIONS? " 

"We might answer that the entire world owes it to itself to fur- 
nish a large number who will walk in the straight and narrow 
Avay; souls that may, as beautifully expressed, become so 
many lightning rods to carry off the shafts of divine vengeance ; 
souls that will, more fortunately than in days of old, be more 
than ten just men in number, and thus save the city, the world 
audits sinful people. But, let us become more practical by being 
direct in our appeal. "Who, ask we, should encourage re- 
ligious vocations ? We answer : 

'EiYerj family J but especially, every mother, every father y every 



124 The Venerable Be La Salle, 

priest, every teacher, and finally every Christian, zealous for 
God's glory and for the salvation of souls. 

Every Catholic mother should take delight in offering at 
least one of her sons as an apostle in a work so dear to the 
Sacred Heart of Jesus, so highly prized by holy Mother Church, 
go essential to the welfare of society at large. A son thus conse- 
crated to all that is noblest on earth, and occupied in the art of 
arts, the government of the future men of our land, — such a son 
will surely be a jewel which, like the matron of olden Borne, she 
may present to friends and neighbors as the brightest gem to 
be placed in her crown. When the mother who voluntarily 
has consecrated her offspring on the altar of Catholic edu- 
cation, comes to render an account of her stewardship, wdtli 
what well-founded hope she may present herself before her 
Judge to whom she will have given, not the cup of cold water, 
not even wealth and riches, nor fame and renown, but what is 
nearer and dearer to her than all this, — the fruit of her womb, 
this fruit thrice blessed in the mission it has embraced, the 
work it has thus accomplished, the happy results which have 
been its issue ; which results rise to the throne of grace like 
sweet incense, wafting prayer to Him who is never outdone in 
generosity, who, as he went through the streets of his native 
land, called to him the little ones who were, later, to be of the 
kingdom of heaven, — his newly founded Church here below, 
bis eternal mansion in which they who shall have taught many 
Hnto justice shall shine as stars for all eternity. 

Youthful reader 1 What greater happiness can you wish for 
that loving mother to whom you are so fondly attached ? Join 
with her, then, ir asking the Divine Child who daily grew in 
wisdom, age and grace, to lead you in the path in which he 
wishes you to walk. Ask him, if it be the will of heaven, to 
Make you one of those who must help to fill the many places 
made void by angels' first and only sin ; places that can only be 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 125 

filled by teaching tlie coming generations the beauty, the worth, 
the loveliness of the service of God. To secure this, let her 
ask that, here below, they may embrace that state which will 
enable them to save the souls of their brethren, and thus save 
their own souls, and cover a multitude of sins. 

And you, christian father ! What say you to such a voca- 
tion? You have felt the hard strokes of the world's ingratitude : 
you have labored all through the night of life, often catching- 
nothing, having no other reward to look forward to, save that 
which is due to your good intentions. Do you not wish your 
son, if it be God's holy will, to avoid those hard struggles, to 
escape those severe checks, which only your Catholic faith or 
christian fortitude have enabled you to endure or overcome f 
If so, pray that he may be called into the path which, while 
filled with the thorns of mortification and self-denial, is strewa 
with the roses of real success ; a path which, however rugged, 
leads to your and their true home ; where father and son will 
unceasingly sing the praises of the good God who will have 
crowned the father because of his sacrifice, the son, because 
having put his hand to the plough he has never taken his han«l 
therefrom, never looked back, thus proving himself fit for the 
kingdom of heaven. 

And shall not the Reverend Clergy, first in every good cause, 
give a helping hand, speak an encouraging w^ord, where th% 
germs of a vocation appear, or that indications lead to suspect 
its existence ? Who better than the priest knows the value 
of the religious school ; the importance of having teachers 
whose whole life is exclusively devoted to so noble a cause ? 
But we shall not urge the question with those devoted ministers 
of Christ. The words of their own Most Reverend and Right 
Reverend prelates will be the fittest form of appeal. Says hia 
Eminence, the Most Rev. Cardinal Archbishop of New York, who 
has always been most interested in the work of the Brothers : 



126 The Venerable De La Salle. 

** As it may often be in the power of Pastors or Confessors to 
foster and encourage vocations to a life so eminently useful 
and meritorious as is that of the Christian Brothers, or to 
recommend fitting subjects for their Novitiate, I am induced 
to solicit the aid of their influence in this direction, that thus the 
religious training and education of catholic children may be 
more effectually promoted and secured." To this, the Most 
Rev. Coadjutor's lines, written when directing the See of 
Newark, may fittingly be added : 

" I beg to recommend to you the fostering of vocations for 
this admirable Institution from which so many benefits accrue 
to youth, and from which, if vocations be multiplied, we may 
hope so much more in future for the welfare of religion." 

In language inspired by his zeal for the little ones of his fold 
the Most Rev. Archbishop of Baltimore also says : 

" You are thoroughly convinced of the necessity of a Chris- 
tian education. It is the only guardian and preservative of the 
faith of the rising generation. For this reason, the vocations of 
religious teachers are to be encouraged. Their increase depends, 
in a great measure, upon you, whose office it is to study the 
dispositions of youth, and who have the faculty to distinguish 
those whom Providence seems to call to the noble life of the 
Christian teacher. 

" I bless this work (the new Novitiate of Baltimore) with all 
my heart, and hope that the Rev'd Clergy will exercise tl^eir 
solicitude in encouraging vocations to the Institute of the 
Brothers of the Christian Schools." 

James Gibbons, Abp. Baltimore. 

These might suffice, but let us listen to voices hushed in death, 
and whose works speak after them. Thus wrote the illustrious 
Abp. Spalding ; 

" I beg to enlist your zeal in behalf of the Christian Brothers 
who are doins: so much towards advancinsj the cause of Cath- 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 12T 

die Education in this country. As the sphere of their action 
extends, they necessarily need a large increase in their num- 
bers. Hence I invite you to take an interest in finding suitable 
candidates for their Novitiate in New York." 

And Most Rev. Abp. Wood, during whose administration 
so many schools and communities of Christian Brothers were 
opened, wrote: "You will thus, by securing vocations, greatly 
advance the interests of religion and education, '' since, says 
the Cardinal Abp. of Malines (Belgium), " the Brothers have 
never been so much needed as at present. " 

" Let us again say what we have so often urged ; never ha^ 
the harvest been greater ; never have the Brothers been called 
upon to open so many establishments ; never has it been within 
the power of the priest to encourage the work of securing vo- 
cations to greater advantage. Let it not be said that the num- 
ber of vocations is becoming smaller. In the midst of the many 
souls of your parish, prayer and a conscientious search will 
discover more than one on whom the Almighty has merciful 
designs, more than one who is called to join in carrying out 
the work which is the most essential in the Church. To the 
priesthood is society indebted for civilization ; through those 
zealous priests who will secure subjects to direct and teach 
Christian Schools shall civilization be preserved. Without 
such assistance the world would again become barbarian." 
Such are the words and wishes of the late tireless champion of 
the Church and her rights, Mgr. de Segur, that extaordinary 
old man ox whom Pius IX said, " he is a blind man who sees 
wonderfully well." 

Need we say anything to the Christian religious teacher to 
induce him to manifest his zeal in a cause to which he has de- 
voted his own life and talents ? If we must, let it be in the 
language of the Superior General of the most widely spread 
Institute of religious teachers in the Christian world : 



128 The Venerable De La Salle. 

" The formation of teachers commences among the children 
of our establishments, for, hereafter, we must look almost ex- 
clusively to our schools as the nurseries in which we will secure 
postulants for our novitiates. We deem it superfluous to give 
any reason here, for our convictions ; they are as numerous as' 
they are peremptory ; if required, the reader would find no dif- 
ficulty in stating these reasons himself. 

*'. We may say with all exactness that a good pupil from 

our classes is already half formed to become an excellent pro- 
fessor in the Christian Schools. 

" But if schools are to become nurseries for postulants, piety 
must not only be held in honor, but it must likewise be culti- 
Tated with zeal and method, particularly among the more fervent 
pupils, for, it is among these last that vocations to our novitiates 
must be developed. 

" Piety, like all other virtues, resembles a talent for any special 
art, which is developed and perfected b}^ repeated acts. Pious 
practices adopted by particular pupils will best conduce to warm 
and nourish their piety. . . It is by pious associations, wisely 
and methodically directed, such as the Apostolate of Prayer, 
the Living Bosary, that you will see an end of the sterility of 
religious vocations in your classes, and which will be replaced 
by a fecundity in keeping with the requirements caused by 
deaths in our ranks, and by the needs of the Church, now calling 
loudly for the establishment of many Christian Schools. 

"Finally, to secure vocations among pupils, they must be 
persuaded that their teacher is a saint." It is related by the 
author of the late Yery Kev. Brother Philippe's life that his 
pupils were in the habit of kissing his robe when unseen! 
Needless to say that a very large number of his boys followed 
their master's example and entered the Institute of which he 
afterwards became the General! "When he sang that grand 
old hymn * Yes, Heaven is the Prize !' wrote one of his pupils, 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 129 

now an aged and saintly priest, our hearts were inflamed with 
love, and many declared that heaven must be a beautiful place 
if the angels and saints loved God and sang His praises better 
than Brother Philippe ! 

With saintly masters, vocations will be numerous ; without 
piety, the blind will be leading the blind, not to the "Land of 
Promise," the harbor of the religious life, but to the ditch of 
sin and sorrow, whence nothing but a most powerful grace will 
extricate either the leader or those who follow. 

In conclusion, let us often unite with all the fervor we can 
command, in asking the good God to raise the veil, to make 
known the worth and wealth of that field in which " the har- 
vest is great, the laborers few." 



CHAPTER Vni. 

The power of prayer. — Great is God in his saints.— The prayer of faith 
saves afflicted humanity. — The evidence required to constitute a 
miracle acknowledged. — De La Salle favors the poor. — "/ am John 
Baptist De La Salle." — Where Doctors fail, a relic cures. — A happy 
family united after many years, at the Holy Table. — Another evidence 
of De La Salle's influence with God. — After years of suffering, in- 
stantly relieved. — The value of good hooks well distributed. — A 
youthful nephew brings the remedy. — "The Trice Friend of Youth." 
Confidence at the recital of others' favors. — A moment's prayer cures 
a life of pain. — America likewise favored. — Influence of De La 
Salle's power at our doors. — *'It is impossible for me to be mis- 
taken. — I am positive. — The child must die. — The disease is incura- 
ble." — The boy is cured. — A good promise. — Shall he be alone in 
giving himself to God ? — "The harvest is great, the laborers few." 

Great is the power of God as manifested in his saints. In few 
cases has this power been more forcibly seen than in the cures 
effected through the Venerable servant of God, John Baptist 
De La Salle. We select the following from a mass of evidence 
a-nd a large number of equally authenticated miraculous oc- 
currences. 

In the city of Orleans, France, in the year 1832, Miss Victoire 
Ferry was acting as nurse in the general hospital for the in- 
sane. One day while walking in the halls of the institution, 
she was suddenly attacked by a violent patient and kicked with 
such severity that she must have been killed had not two other 

130 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 131 

patients come to her assistance. She was carried to her room 
unconscious and shortly after, blood flowed copiously from her 
mouth, ears and nostrils. She trembled convulsively, and all 
indications pointed to a complete internal disorganization. 
Ordinary remedies proving of no avail. Dr. Yallet was called 
in and declared that serious injury had been received in the 
region of the heart. He prescribed bleeding, leechings and 
various medicines. For two years, this course was pursued, 
without avail ; she was unable to work, lost her sleep and 
became greatly emaciated. To meet the new developments in 
her case, blisters were prescribed, cauteries Avere placed in 
each arm, yet no relief came. To intensify her case, vomitings 
of blood became frequent. Finally she was unable to walk or 
even to stand, and had to remain either in bed or seated in a 
reclining chair. Thus, for twelve years did she suffer, while, 
for the last eight, the symptoms had been alarming. Fever 
seldom left her; she swallowed food with great difficulty, and 
drink of the simplest kinds produced vomiting. During this 
prolonged illness she was bled two hundred and twelve times, 
and over one hundred useless attempts had been made to bleed 
her. Her first medical attendant (Dr. Yallet) had long since 
given up her case, but, in 1839, another ph^'sician attended her 
for two or three months without giving any hopes of relief, as 
the principal organs, and especially the heart, having been 
affected for several years, a remedy was physically impossible. 
She frequently swooned away in her mother's arms, and so 
great was the swelling in her body that when touched, the 
mark of the fingers remained on the flesh. 

Man had done all in his power, and Miss Ferry now had re- 
course to our Blessed Lady and her favorite saints. But 
God's designs were to be realized. It was left to the Venerable 
De La Salle to manifest his power in this extraordinary case. 

Having learned that this great servant of God had obtained 



132 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

many extraordinary cures for his devout clients, Miss Ferry be- 
gan to invoke him on the 18th of May, 1844. The Brothers of 
the Christian Schools of Orleans united with her in the novena 
«he began on that day. Holding in her hand a picture and relic 
of the Yenerable she said : 

*' Good Father : Yenerable servant of God, John Baptist De 
La Salle, pray for me who have recourse to thee. If it be God's 
holy will, obtain my cure. If, on the contrary, I am to die, will- 
ingly do I resign myself, that my soul may be sanctified. " This 
prayer she repeated, day and night, either mentally or vocally, 
as her strength permitted. Sunday, the 19th of May, she felt 
the most excruciating pains over her whole body, and towards 
half-past seven in the evening, though she saw no one, yet she 
heard a voice distinctly saying : " Next Sunday, at a quarter to 
eight, you will hear holy Mass in thanksgiving for your recovery. 
Keep silent on this subject.'' She had previously tried to read an 
abridgment of the Yenerable's life, and now perused it to the 
end. This effort increased her sufferings, which became so in- 
tense that she could not bear even to be touched, while being 
waited upon. Such was her restlessness that she was placed 
seated in an arm chair, where she remained most of the time ; 
and thus she continued in intense agony the first two days of 
the novena. 

On the 20th, she imagined that some one was touching her 
feet and knees, but a diligent search revealed nothing. Strange 
to relate, though the picture of the Yenerable servant of God 
had been dropped during the search, she found it again between 
her hands, without knowing how it came there. Thus mat- 
ters rested till the hour of midnight tolled. At that moment 
she again felt something pressing upon her knees, and, imme- 
diately to her right, she beheld the Yenerable who said to her : 

" I am John Baptist De La Salle'' '* OA, Venerable Father,'' she 
replied, " I am not worthy that you should appear to me." " On 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, ' 133 

Sunday'^ he eontinued, " at a quarter to eight, you tvill go to Mass 
in thanksgiving for your recovery. Be silent on this subject : you 
are now cured,'' " Good Father," responded the grateful woman, 
" I thank you for all th^ favors you have bestowed upon me. I know 
and acknowledge that I am unworthy of them,'' At the same 
moment, she who had for twelve years been a victim to every 
pain, whose case had long since been abandoned as incurable 
by the ablest physicians, felt herself completely at rest, free 
from any pain, and passed the balance of the night in a peaceful 
slumber. The next morning, she dressed herself, fell upon 
her knees to thank God, and immediately after her devotions , 

attended to some manual labor Thus she continued till the 

following Sunday, when, unaided, she walked to Church, to 
receive holy Communion. As she entered the sacred edifice, 
though she had not thought of the matter to time her move- 
ments, the tower clock struck a quarter to eight. Six physicians 
testified to the miraculous character of the cure, and Miss Ferry 
was called repeatedly before the ecclesiastical examiners ap- 
pointed to take evidence. Their opinion agreed with that of the 
physicians, and her case has been sent to Rome for final deci- 
sion by the highest tribunals. 

II. 

Another most striking miracle, one possessing many of the 
extraordinary elements of Miss Ferry's case, but which is still 
more wonderful in the reward given to lively faith, is the power 
shown by the Venerable De La Salle in favor of Miss Petit, of 
the village of Laffard, diocese of Bayeux. Till her 32d year she 
enjoyed excellent health and was even robust in appearance. 
From infancy she had taken a large share in the heaviest work 
to be done about her country home. In 1826, she lost her 
mother and was naturally much prostrated by this sad event* 



134 The Venerable De La Salle: 

It was during the following Carnival that two silly youths, 
wishing to frighten the innocent woman, dressed themselves in 
white, flowing garments, and secreting themselves in a part of 
the house where they knew Miss Petit had to pass, waited her 
entrance. So sudden was the surprise that, coupling it with her 
late loss, she was so overpowered that she fell senseless to the 
ground, from which she was taken by her now thoroughly repent- 
ant but thoughtless friends, to her room, which for sixteen 
months she rarely left, suffering almost continually from inter- 
mittent fever. Thenceforward, till her cure, her life was a series 
of acute torture. Abscesses formed over many parts of her body, 
chiefly on her left thigh, her legs, both sides, and head. Three 
times in succession, her thigh was cauterized ; painful blisters 
were applied to other portions of her body where abscesses 
formed, and for three years she could only move about on crutch- 
es. To intensify her sad condition, partial deafness and almost 
total blindness supervened. Her limbs became swollen, and so 
great was her thirst that no amount of liquid seemed able to 
assuage it. Pains in the stomach and vomitings of blood were 
also frequent, and the latter became of daily occurrence. In 
1835, while striving to look after the farm, she was attacked by 
a vicious cow, that struck her violently in the breast, and some 
time after, a painful swelling formed over the part attacked. 
Two years were allowed to pass by, without any serious atten- 
tion being given to this new development, when the physician 
from a neighboring village being called, he pronounced the 
SAvelling as the incipient stage of cancer, for which there was 
no known remedy. Other physicians were of like opinion, and 
a more careful examiner having elicited that cancer was heredi- 
tary in the family, all hopes of human aid were abandoned. 

At this stage of her disease, believing that she had but a 
short lease of life left, she made her will, and prepared se- 
riously for her seemingly approaching end. Sleep became 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, IcJS 

impossible : food refused to remain upon her stomach, and 
to still further complicate the case, she fell upon an upturned 
lid of a large boiler, and so severely hurt herself that she was 

carried to bed, being unable to reach it alone Leeches 

were now applied to her breast, but some of these left sores 
which remained open, adding to the gravity of her case. 

While thus a prey to the most intense agony, her nephew, 
a scholar in the Brothers' School, brought her a premium book 
he had received, entitled " The Venerable De La Salle, the True 
Friend of Youth." While reading of the many miracles wrought 
through his intercession, she feels herself irresistibly impelled 
to gaze upon his likeness and to implore his intercession. At 
the same moment she places the book over her breast, and 
exclaims : " Venerable John Baptist De La Salle, pray for me, 
that I may be relieved from my sufferings : I have great confidence 
in you; if it be for the good of my soul, obtain my cure." While 
thus engaged in prayer, a neighbor called in, and being filled 
with compassion at her friend's intense sufferings, promised 
to return the evening of the same day. Meanwhile, the poor 
invalid continued her prayer, and, while so engaged, felt an in- 
describable interior joy, accompanied by a spiritual light that 
filled her with happiness. It was then about ten A. M. of 
September 4th, 1845. Soon after, she felt greatly inclined to 
sleep, and fell into a gentle slumber of two hours' duration. 
She then awoke, feeling a gentle perspiration over her body, 
and an absolute freedom from all pain. 

Immediately after, she arose, partook of food freely, without 
the usual disturbance of her system, and, at one o'clock when 
her friend returned as promised, she was astonished at the 
sudden change. Her curiosity led her to ask many questions, 
the first of which was about the invalid's breast. The poor girl 
in her joy had forgotten to examine it, and removing the light 
cloth which was the only covering she had been able to endure 



136 The Venerable De La SaUe, 

over it, tliey both found that all traces of swelling, leech marks 
and other irritations had disappeared. The entire household 
were filled with astonishment, while Miss Petit continued to 
eat, drink and labor, as though nothing had occurred. From 
that time forward she was a model of health and happiness. 

III. 

The above instances might well suffice, but we prefer to give 
one so recent and so undisputed as to show that " the arm of 
the Lord is not shortened, " so far as the intercession of the 
Venerable De La Salle is concerned. America has given many 
instances of the efficacy of his pleadings with the Most High, 
but we select the following as one of the most striking. 

Our statement of the case of Arthur Patrick Kennedy, of 
Brooklyn, will be given in a curtailed form from the data fur- 
nished by his own parents, who write : 

" A. P. Kennedy was about three years old when taken ill at 
his parent's home, Willoughby St., Brooklyn. 

The child was first seen by the family physician, J. Yan 
Harlingen, M. D. , who pronounced his trouble paludal diarrhea. 

For some time this continued without other inconvenience. 
Later, towards February 21st, 1881, new symptoms appeared ; 
and on the 3d of March following, Dr. Van Harlingen declared 
that the child gave indications of cerebral phthisis, and asked 
to be allowed to call in a consulting physician. Prof. Armour 
of the Long Island College Hospital came, and declared that 
truly the child was suffering from brain trouble. Three days 
after he returned and stated that the symptoms though more 
alarming, had not yet fully developed. 

Anxious to have absolute information in so serious a case. 
Prof. Hammond, of New York, was called, and after consultation, 
announced the sorrowful intelligence that the child was stricken 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 137 

with cerebral phthisis and that his recovery was absolutely 
impossible. 

When asked if there was not a possibility of his being mis- 
taken, Prof. Hammond declared that he had never found a case 
in which the symptoms were more pronounced. " There is 
no hope," he said, "I am sorry to tell you." 

At his request a soothing potion was given, which brought on 
a temporary comatose condition. 

Later, Dr. Nolan, physician to another branch ol the family^ 
called several times to see Arthur Patrick, but without effecting 
any result. The child was now reduced to a mere skeleton, 
and for weeks lived on small portions of milk and diluted 
brandy. 

When earth had failed, heaven was more earnestly called 
upon. A novena, made to St. Patrick, proving ineffectual, it 
providentially happened that Brother Botthian, Director of 
the Brothers in Newark (N. J.) — and formerly Mr. Kennedy's 
teacher, called in to see him, and, being informed of the sad 
case, induced Mr. Kennedy to make a novena to the Ven. De 
La Salle, promising, if a cure were effected, that his little son, if 
called to the Brotherhood, would join when of proper age. 

The Novena was made, the following prayer being said : 

OLOED JESUS CHEIST, who hast said ; '' Suffer little chil- 
dren to come unto me ;" who receivest what is done for the 
least of them, as done for Thyself, and who hast promised, by 
the Holy Ghost, that the just shall be in everlasting remembravce^ 
we beseech Thee in Thy infinite goodness to show forth the 
glory of the Yenerable John Baptist De La Salle, who, for Thy 
love became the Apostle of Youth. Therefore, we implore Thy 
blessing on the process of his beatification, that it may happily 
succeed, that so we may glorify Thee on earth in thy servant 
and by his intercession, come to praise Thee with him in Hea- 



138 The Venerable Be La Salle. 

ven, where Thou livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. 
Ave Maria. 

" At the close of the Novena," writes the father, " our little 
boy, for the first time in three weeks, opened his eyes, and spoke. 
Three days later, he began to notice objects and to name them. 

*' At this point, Brother Botthian, hearing that the child was 
much better, advised a second Novena, promising that the 
Brothers would join therein. During both the first and second 
Novenas, the relic of the holy Founder was applied to the 
child. 

" The close of the second nine days came. The child seemed 
so much improved that Mrs. Kennedy resolved to take him to 
Prospect Park. There she hired a child's carriage to give her 
restored son a jaunt. What was her surprise, when, instead 
of accepting the pleasure, Arthur Patrick insisted upon having 
his sister, four years old, placed therein, while he pushed the 
<:arria^e forward a great distance, without any apparent fatigue. 
He was a cured boy ! 

" When called upon, later. Prof. Hammond still declared that 
ihe child could not recover. But, seeming to be annoyed by the 
situation, after his professional declaration that the child could 
not recover, the interview was closed. His last words, how- 
ever, were : * Do what you will, the child cannot live.' " 

But, God is greater than men. The child not only lives, but 
for two years has grown, and waxed strong, let us hope, in 
wisdom and grace, a living monument to the power of the 
intercession of John Baptist De La Salle. 

Do not all these evidences go to show that " now is the ac- 
ceptable time to solicit heavenly favors through the power of 
ihe Venerable Servant of God, John Baptist De La Salle?" 
Divine Providence is indicating its designs in a most unmistak- 
able manner. It is evidently heaven's wish that the cause of 
the Canonization of this servant of God should progress rapidly. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 139 

It is the expressed desire of the Holy Father soon to be enabled 
to decree this honor to the Founder ol the Christian ^chooJs. So 
far back as 1869, the illustrious Cardinal Pitra, protector of the 
Institute of the Brothers, did not hesitate in declaring that ' in 
the supreme crisis in which we now find ourselves, there can 
be no cause more opportune, no interest more pressing. We 
must, ' adds His Eminence, ' build up the grand question of 
Christian Schools, the education of the people as a Christian 
generation, by conferring the highest honors the Church can 
bestow upon him who has taken so large a share in this 
work. ' 

" But, to accelerate and conclude this important work, most 
striking miracles are needed ; miracles which will unqualifiedly 
indicate God's holy will. Hasten then, with all confidence, at 
this important time, to avail yourselves of the intercession of 
the servant of God. Let all who need the special effects of 
the goodness of the Most High to be made manifest in their 
regard, call upon John Baptist De La Salle with unlimited 
hope and confidence. 

" The more difficult the grace to be obtained, the less fruit- 
ful your prayers seem to have been, thus far, the more earnestly 
should you do holy violence to heaven, through him whom 
heaven so evidently wishes to honor. Under actual circum- 
stances, you should place no bounds to your reliance on his 
intercession. The Almighty only waits to find one whose faith 
will deserve to make him whole." 

Oh ! hasten then, all whose cases seem beyond hope ! Call up- 
on him, all you who have reason to dread lest those nearest and 
dearest to you are about to breathe their last. Better still, if 
there be among you one whose salvation seems beyond a hope ; 
whose life is a protest against the belief in death ; if it be a 
father, a son, a brother, sister or mother, who thus tempts high 
heaven, call, call upon him whose words on earth touched the 



140 The Venerable Be La SaRe. 

most hardened hearts, and your prayers will most assuredly be 
heard. Be of good cheer ; let courage and hope once more fill 
your hearts. Who knows ! Providence has, thus far, been silent, 
only that the glory of so great a change in body or soul may 
be granted through the intercession of the Venerable De La 
Salle, whose name he wishes to enrol among those whom " the 
King wishes to honor." 




Monument erected at Rouen to the Venerable Db La Sallk. 



CHAPTER IX. 

The hundred-fold here heloio, — The just eternally remembered. — The 
world not always ungrateful. — A friend of the child always loved by 
at least half the world. — "-De La Salle, the benefactor to whom France 
should erect a statue.'' — The debt paid. — Two worlds unite in honor- 
ing a Father whose sons are everywhere at home in tico continents. 
FopCj priest, people, unite in saluting the statue. — The author of the 
" Redemption" writes the music to honor the intellectual redeemer of 
children in many lands. — Eloquence, music, painting and poetry 
combine to make the day memorable — Draped banners : the General 
deputed to salute the Founder in heaven. — Extract from Mgr. 
Bessons panegyric, — Love and labor conquer where all previous efforts 
failed. — A universal wish that the Universal Pontiff' can alone gratify , 
De La Salle waiting for a man of faith whom he ivill make whole. 
Who should implore De La Salle's protection ? — Two hundred years 
ago. — The world ai the foot of the Altar. — La Salle in every hearty 
but still deprived of a niche in the holy place. — The New World in 
a new Cathedral. — Letter of Bishop McNierney. 

The shortest road to the heart of man is through his children. 
The people are not so ungrateful as the world pretends ; he 
who proves himself their benefactor by bettering the condition 
of youth may look forward to generous and earnest recognition. 
History has rarely shown this more fully than in the case of 
the Venerable De La Salle. For two centuries he and his dis- 
ciples had been loved by the juvenile world which they have in- 
structed, and that older world which sees and appreciates the 
devotedness and self-sacrifice required to live such a life of 
mental and physical labor. 

142 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth. 141^ 

** The Abbe De La Salle is, to my mind, the type of the great,^ 
but modest man. The utility of his work, the perseverance of 
his devotedness, the oneness of his aim, all tend to make him 
one of the models most worthy of being presented to the admira- 
tion and imitation of humanity. . . Such was the man, the friend 
of mankind, to whom grateful France, should raise a statue, " So 
spoke M, Droz, Member of the French Academy. So had 
thought many others, and yet the statue was not erected. It 
was while assisting at the celebration of the Normal School s^ 
patron Saint, in Rouen, that M. Doudiet d'Austrive felt him^ 
self deeply impressed with the idea that the long-talked-of statue 
should be made to take form and place in the midst of those 
he had so faithfully served. At the conclusion of the service, 
M. d'Austrive made known his thoughts to the Director of the 
establishment, who, on the following day, having occasion to 
visit Paris, made mention of the project to Very Rev. Brother 
Philippe, Superior General. " If Rouen wishes to thus honor 
our Venerable Founder, she must bestir herself. Rheims is- 
thinking of doing something similar, " replied the General. 
The hint was not lost, and in a few days the subscription list was^ 
issued, headed by a generous contribution from His Eminence 
Cardinal de Bonnechose, Archbishop of Rouen. Two worlds 
joined in the contributions, which soon swelled beyond the re- 
quired amount. " What a pity I cannot write with both hands, '* 
said a distinguished Protestant member of the French Gov- 
ernment. "We erect monuments to men, whose ambition has 
caused the death of millions. Shall we not do at least as much 
for this saviour of humanity ?" 

" Here are forty pennies in honor of the 40,000 francs given to 
his poor boys by De La Salle, " wrote a little lad from the 
Provinces. 

And thus the good cause progressed till on the 2d of June, 
1875, the statue was in place, waiting to be unveiled to the ad- 



144 The Venerable De La SaUe, 

miring thousands who thronged about it. On that day, all 
Kouen was astir in Sunday attire. Employers had given their 
workmen a holiday ; business was suspended, church bells ranty 
out their merriest peals : bands of music issued from every train 
at the head of delegations from the chief schools of France. 
Smiling Brothers headed long files of intelligent- looking boys 
who marched to their appointed places in the procession which 
led to the Cathedral where solemn High Mass was to be cele- 
brated. This was indeed the people's feast in honor of the 
people's friend. Though hundreds of thousands of strangers 
flocked in from every section, not a single arrest was made 
during the entire day. While enjoying themselves fully, all felt 
that they were engaged in celebrating a feast which demanded 
the fullest measure of Christian sobriety. The reputation of 
religion was at stake, for the friends of religion had it in charge. 
Bishops, priests, religious of every Order were there to testify 
their appreciation of the cause which called for such manifesta- 
tions of joy and satisfaction. Art had been called into service. 
Painters had designed most attractive banners and mottoes, 
which floated in the morning air, and struck the visitor's eye. 

But one banner was draped, that of the Brothers' Mother 
House. The General, shortly before, had gone to celebrate 
the feast with his father in heaven. 

Music was there to charm the ear, which the bands of the 
Brothers' Colleges played with a skill beyond their years. 
Children's voices sang out the praises of God who had i>iven 
them such a friend in the person of La Salle, his faithful servant, 
in the magnificent notes of Gounod's Cantata. Eloquence, in 
the pulpit, on the platform, and at the festive table, joined in 
making the celebration worthy of its object. Of the many 
brilliant orations spoken on that day, we can refer only to that 
delivered in the Cathedral, in presence of an overflowing con- 
gregation. 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 145 

The following points from tlie eloquent Bishop Besson will 
be interesting : 

" It is in the name of the poor, the lowly, the children of the 
people, of all who are termed the middle class, that I here apply- 
to the Venerable De La Salle the prophecy of Daniel ; it is in 
their name that I salute the rising star which will soon be above 
us in the galaxy of the Church. He is entitled to the double 
diadem awarded by the great Apostle, as well as by the prophet, 
to those who labor in the word and doctrine. (1) 
^ On a day which is not distant, Rome will place on his brow 
the nimbus of the blessed. To-day it is Eouen that raises his 
statue and crowns it. And what a magnificent crown it is I 
Made up of children's smiles and innocence ; of religious flowers 
over ten thousand in number ; a crown in which are the virtues 
of soldiers, magistrates, representatives, whose services are re- 
corded in the annals of the cities, provinces and armies of France! 
A crown of Bishops, the most beautiful that can be conferred, 
after that which the Holy Father alone can place upon saintly 
brows 

*^ The life of the Venerable is a model, his rule a law, his work 
the glory of France and of the entire Church .... We may 
therefore take time by the forelock, and, speaking the language 
of the younger generations, dilate upon the Saint who for two 
centuries has labored in two worlds for the amelioration and 
the salvation of humanity " 

We shall not here repeat the portion of the Venerable's life 
told in former pages " The Venerable finds his end ap- 
proaching ; he had announced it, and was preparing himself for 
this final passage by the still more faithful practice of every 
virtue. He came to St. Yon, to die. There, the Brothers, whom 
he has loved with a special affection, will be with him to wit- 
ness the scenes and lessons of his closing hours ; from his ex- 

(1) !• Tim., V, 17, 



146 The VeneraMe De La Sdlle, 

ample tbey will learn how a Brother of the Christian Schools 
should die ... . But this school, which is to teach the secret 
of a holy death, will be none other than the school of the Cross ; 
the glory which is to result from his death will be a glory 
similar to that of the Divine Crucified! The Cross! Ever the 
Cross I Till the last word has been spoken, the last breath 
breathed, the last pulsation of this heart, which has so loved 
the poor, will be from and upon the cross ! 

"And where does the Yenerable expire? Seek all through 
that extensive series of buildings ; find the most obscure corner, 
that nearest the stables, which at one time has been part 
thereof, and it is there that, having written his last letters, 
penned' his final instructions, spoken his last consoling words, 
given his last heroic examples, it is there, in that humblest of 
retreats that he breathes forth his soul to God; a soul that 
loved God, the Church and the children of both ; a soul whose 
last testament to weeping attendants, at once children and 
Brothers, was to love Eome, cling to her, make her thoughts 
their own, that being ever united with Christ's Yicar on earth, 
they may deserve the reward of a union which, to preserve, 
demanded heroic hearts. In the hour of death, he receives 
the bread of life, and leaves as another parting legacy to 
his children, a lively affection for this Sacred Flesh, love for 
Mary, in whose chaste womb it was formed, and of St. Joseph, 
Tvho watched over and guarded the Mother and her Son. ' The 
Saint is dead,' exclaimed the highest authority m Eouen, and 
the cry was taken up by believing thousands. Yes, Eouen ot 
two centuries ago declared the saint dead. But the Eouen o 
to-dav, wiser by experience, declares that the Saint stil 
lives.' Eome will soon join Eouen, and instead of 'the bamt 
is dead' of two hundred years ago, or 'the Saint still lives m 
our midst' of to-day, she will proclaim a grander truth-La 
Salle, John Baptist, the Saint, lives inh.aven-Heaven, through 



o 

n 

> 

H 

X 



HT 

X 
M 

M 

a: 

> 



> 




148 The Venerable De La Salle, 

Rome will place on the altars of the Universal Church the 
statues, the images of him whose noble form graces the public 
square nearest to the scenes of his labors. The whole 
world, repeating the words of her for whom he did so much, 
will exclaim : * Saint Jean Baptist De La Salle, Pray For Us! '" 

II. 

Were any proof needed of the universal interest felt in the 
life and work of the Venerable De La Salle, the feast of the 
Second Centenary would be ample demonstration. 

In the words of the Very Bevd. Brother Superior, it was in- 
tended that: "in speaking of this Centenary the Institute 
might be able to say what the Psalmist speaks of the King's 
daughter : * All the glory . , , , is within.' 

But, the world, of whose ingratitude we hear so much, or at 
least the truly Christian portion, thought otherwise. Parents, 
pastors, prelates, nay, even the Holy Father, thought rightly? 
that the Second Centenary of a work whose external results are 
shown by 13,000 religious, guiding 400,000 pupils, was worthy of 
public recognition. Hence, in a later issue, we find the grateful 
leader of equally grateful inferiors saying : 

" The celebration of the Second Centenary assumed propor- 
tions, and was attended with a degree of pomp and earnestness 
which we could not possibly foresee, and which we certainly 
never desired. 

'' The zest with which the people entered into the celebration, 
the gratitude shown by our former pupils, and especially the 
zeal of the Beverend Clergy, chiefly in large cities, are above 
all praise.'* 

Elsewhere, the same General continues : " It could not be 
otherwise, since, from the beginning, both the secular and 
regular clergy were among the special patrons of the Venerable 



An AjQ^^eal to Catholic Youth. 149 

De La Salle. He belonged to tlie secular clergy of Rheims* 
many of whom gave essential help to the struggling Institute. 

The ancient abbey of the Benedictines welcomed him to pray 
near the tomb of St. Eemigius, where he planned his work. 
The Carmelites also offered the Servant of God an asylum among 
them, in 1684, to make a retreat before pronouncing vows of 
obedience and stability with twelve of his disciples. " 

And, had the limits of a short circular letter permitted, the 
worthy Superior might have added that the children of St. 
Dominic offered him bread, while the sons of St. Ignatius 
defended his reputation against Jansenists, and enabled him 
to perpetuate his work in Marseilles. 

That the results of such a celebration should have a Provi- 
dential bearing upon the reputation of the Venerable as a Saint, 
may well be admitted. 

Of this an eminent writer says : 

" Considered from the standpoint that God does all things 
well, the celebration of the second Centenary of the work of the 
Venerable De La Salle, bears upon its face evident marks of a 
Providential influence. When we behold the untold splendor 
with which the memory of the Christian Brothers * Founder 
has been celebrated, we cannot fail herein to find a public ex- 
pression of the wish, thus so fittingly made known, that the cause 
of the Canonization of Jean Baptist De La Salle should be 
pursued with all possible alacrity. " 

How great this desire of seeing " honor to whom honor is due " 
being paid, may be inferred from the fact thus referred to by 
M. H. B. Irlide who says : 

"More than one hundred and fifty Cardinals, Patriarchs, 
Archbishops and Bishops, from every quarter of the globe, have 
sent us letters, which we are to forward collectively to the 
Holy Father, and in which they ask that renewed efforts shall 
be made to hasten 'the final honors ' to our Venerable Father.'" 



150 The Venerable De La Salle. 

Doubtless, inspired by sentiments imbibed from Albany's 
first Bishop, the present wortliy incumbent wrote? 

" Most Holy Father, a Prince of your Court, an Archbishop, 
seven Bishops, and two hundred and fifty priests have joined 
the Brothers and their pupils in celebrating the second Centen- 
ary of De La Salle's work. The only drawback to the festal 
day, one that was universally felt, was, that in publicly praising 
the work, we could not publicly invoke the worker " 

That these requests have been favorably heard appears from 
the subjoined document : 

DECEETUM 

ROTHOMAGEN. 

BEATIPICATIONIS ET CANONIZATIONIS 

VEN. SEUVI DEI 

JOANNIS BAPTISTS DE LA SALLE 

FUNDATOEIS CONGEEGATIONIS FRATEUM 
SCHOLARUM CHRISTIANARUM. 

Per Decretum Sacrorum Kituum Congregationis sub die 23 
Mali 1879 a Sanctissimo Domino Nostro Leone Papa XIII 
benigne concessum fuit, ut in Ordinario ipsius Sacrse Congre- 
gationis Coetu ageretur, absque interventu et voto Consultorum, 
de Yaliditate Processuum Apostolica Auctoritate constructorum 
super tribus miraculis, quae, praedicto Yen. Servo Dei Joanne 
Baptista de la Salle intercedente, a Deo patrata feruntur. 

Hinc Eminentissimus et Reverendissimus Dominus Car- 
dinalis Joannes Baptista Pitra, prgefatse Causae Ponens, ad 
instantiam Rev. Er. Eobustiani Procuratoris Congregationis 
Fratrum Scholarum Christianarum, et hujusce Causae Postula- 
toris, in Ordinario speciali Coetu ipsius Sacrse Eituum Congre- 
gationis, juxta peculiares dispositiones ejusdem Sanctissimi 
Domini Nostri sub die 20 Novembris 1878 editas, constituto, 
ac subsignata die ad Yaticanum coadunato, sequens Dubium 
proposuit, nimirum ; 



An Appeal to Catholic Youth, 151 

"An constet de Validitate Processuum Audoritate Apostolica con- 
structorum super miraculis in dicecesihus Rothomagen, Parisien^ 
Aurdianen ; testes sint rite ac recte examinati, etjura producta 
legitime compulsata in casu et ad effectum de quo agitur ?" 

Sacra porro eadem Congregatio, omnibus accurate examine 
perpensis auditoque voce et scripto B. P. D. Augustino 
Caprara, Sanctse Fidei Promotore, rescribere rata est : Affirm- 
alive, seu constare. 

Die 13 Februarii, 1883. 

Facta postmodum de his Sanctissimo Domino Nostro Leoni 
Pap^ XIII per infrascriptum Secretarium fideli relatione, 
Sanctitas Suasententiam Sacrae Congregationis ratam habuit 
et confirmavit die 15 eodem mense et anno. 

D. Cakdinalis BAETOLINIUS, 

S. p. C. Prcefectus, 
Loco ^ Sigilli. 

LAUEENTros Salvati, 

/S» B, C. Secretarius. 




INDEX. 



Page 

Dedication - iii 

Intboduction. . , V 

CHAPTER I. 

The Catholic idea of a Saint. — Cardinal Newman's description. — These 
views dwelt upon. — The Saint best knows and pities human weakness. 
— John Baptist is baptized.— Early impressions. — Forecasts. — Visits 
to Churches. — Miniature Altar. — Exalted idea of the Priesthood. — In-. 
fluence of the Crucifix and Eosary. — Devotion to the Sacred Passion 
and to Mary, Virgin most Pure. 9 

CHAPTER n. 

Influence of Early Training. — The private tutor ; public Christian 
Schools. — Benefits of Emulation. — Young La Salle enters the Uni- 
versity of Rheims . — Professor and Pupil. — Mutual Relations. — Home 
amusements. — John Baptist loves only Sacred Music. — Fails to learn 
profane airs. —Vocation. — M. De La Salle and wife consent, after a 
struggle. — Appeal to Christian Parents. — Result of one Vocation 
followed. — John Baptist receives the tonsure. — How he preserves his 
virginal purity. — Penances and other means employed. — He is named 
Canon at 16. — Impression made by the young Cleric— La Salle goes , 
to Paris.— Death of father and mother. — Return to Rheims. —Trials 
and Temptations. —Important lesson given.— Victory ! 19 

CHAPTER III. 

*'Each one has a work to do, a mission to fulfil."— La Salle labors in 
another's field.— Use made of his influence.— What the Church has 
done for youth.— At work wherever a monastery is built or a Church 
erected —A few schools mentioned.— What was taught.— Lack of 
method in schools of France at the time La Salle began his work. — 

153 



•y^j^ Index, 

His method developed. — Opposition. — Famine. — * • Providence the only 
basis upon which to build Christian Schools." — M. De La Salle edu- 
cates his disciples. —His " Meditations on School." — E6sume of princi- 
pal headings of Chapters. — Schools for higher classes also opened. — 
How children should be treated. — Absence of corporal punishment. — 
Object lessons. — The School of Discipline. — Plan of St. Yon. — "Where 
the Venerable lived.— Foreign Countries. — An event in Madagascar. 31 

CHAPTER IV. 

Spirit and Virtues of the Venerable De La Salle. — The true test of great- 
ness, — Worldlings judged by their exterior. — Why this dijfference of 
treatment is necessary. — La Salle's attachment to the Church. — 
Proofs of the purity of his faith. — Why he gave his Brothers "the 
Spirit of faith," as the spirit of their state.— His ruling virtue strong 
in death, — His unlimited confidence in God. — Exalted idea which 
faith made him form of the Christian teacher's dignity ; nobility of 
the Mission.— His constant practice of the renovation of God's holy 
presence. — Efifect of his exterior conduct upon strangers. — Sinners 
seek him for conversion ; holy persons to learn the ways of God in 
spiritual direction,— His manner of reciting the Divine Office. — 
Eespect for the Sacred Vessels, relics and other holy things. — Pover- 
ty everywhere except in decorating the house of God, and his Mercy 
ThroDe, the Altar. — Manner of wearing the Soutane. — Examples of 
his watchfulness over himself in all these points. .... ., , 56 

CHAPTEB V. 

Virtues continued.— How the Venerable preserved the angelic Virtue. 
Evidence of his Superior. — Sayings of St. Chrysostom. — La Salle's 
extraordinary custody of his senses. — An example of his extreme 
care on this point. — Amused and edified companions, — Confidence 
in God. — His, the result of faith. — With God for him, he cared not 
for men. — Striking evidence of unmeasured confidence, — How men 
proved false. — He divides his fortune among the poor. — His charity. — 
Forgiveness of injury. — His love of prayer. — His prolonged vigils. — 
Victory over self. —Kneeling on shells.— Christian wisdom.— Its 
marks given by St. Paul found in De La Salle.— Modesty.— Rules 
he gave after practising them —Regulation imposed upon himself to 
preserve the holy presence of God. — How he treated delinquents and 
hardened sinners.— *' He bore their burdens."— Regularity,— Exam- 



Index* 155 

pies of his great love for this guardian of the exterior man.— Conduct 
as an inferior.— His desire to be least thought of, except where menial 
offices were to be given. -The crowning virtue of his life.-Obe- 
dience.-He strives " to do all things well. "-Striking examples ho 
gave of this moat essential virtue • • 



CG 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Father's example followed by willing children.— First Brothers formed 
by De La Salle.— His own career.— A corner of the veil raised. 
What a glimpse revealed.— Inferences justified by indications thus 
found.— His passion for suffering.— Brothers Jean- Henri, Bourlette, 
Joseph, Louis, Stanislaus, Irenee and Bartholomew.— Brief lives 
which filled many years in a few days.— Lives shortened to be the soon- 
er with God.— Folly of the Cross.— The Virtues of Thebaid revived. 
Evidence of an eye-witness and Confessor.— " You do not try me ; 
I am allowed to sink beneath the load of my crimes."— "A loving 
image of the Venerable De La Salle."— Bodily pain forgotten amid 
spiritual delights.— They spoke only of heaven and of the paths lead- 
ing thereto. — " The Brothers' holy passion to follow in the footsteps 
of their holy Founder.". . — ». 93 

CHAPTER VII. 

Vocation.— CaU to the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, — 
Remembrance of the lives read in previous Chapter. — Doctrine of the 
Saints, especially of Sts. Thomas Aquinas and Liguori on the vocation 
to the Religious State. —Special excellence of the Christian Teacher's 
vocation. — Objections to follow an early call to the religious life, — 
Dangers of delay. — Exposure to sin. — Who should encourage youth 
to serve God in the life and work of a Brother of the Christian 
Schools V— False prophets sometimes unfortunately found even in 
God's holy service ! —Value placed upon the Brother's life and work 
by His Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of New York ; other ex- 
pressions of esteem by Most Rev'd and Right Rev'd Bishops. — Words 
of Mgr. de S^gur. — "The blind man who sees well."— A parting word 
to Catholic Youth Ill 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The power of prayer— Great is God in his saints.— The prayer of faith saves 
afflicted humanity. — The evidence required to constitute a miracle 



15& Index, 

acknowledged.— De La Salle favors the poor.-— "I am John Baptist De 
La Salle."— Where Doctors fail, a relic cures,— A happy family united 
after many years, at the Holy Table.— Another evidence of DeLa 
Salle's influence with God. — After years of suffering, instantly reliev- 
ed.— The value of good books well distributed.— A youthful nephew 
brings the remedy,—" The True Friend of Youth." Confidence at the 

recital of others' favors. — A moment's prayer cures a life of pain. 

America likewise favored.— Influence of De La Salle's power at our 

doors.— '* It is impossible for me to be mistaken.— I am positive 

The child must die. — The disease is incurable." — The boy is cured. 

A goodpromise. — Shall he be alone in giving himself to God ? " The 

harvest is great, the laborers few." _ 2 

CHAPTER IX. 

The hundred-fold here below.— The just eternally remembered.— The 
world not always ungrateful.— A friend of the child always loved by 
at least half of the world. — "De La Salle, the benefactor to whom 
France should erect a statue. — The debt paid. — Two worlds unite 
in honoring a Father whose sons are everywhere at home in two con- 
tinents. —Pope, priest, people, unite in saluting the statue.— The 
author of the "Redemption " writes the music to honor the intellec- 
tual redeemer of children in many lands. —Eloquence, music, 
painting and poetry combine to make the day memorable.— Draped 
banners : the General deputed to salute the Founder in heaven.— Ex- 
tracts from Mgr. Besson's panegyric. —Love and labor conquer where 
all previous efforts failed.— A universal wish that the Universal Pon- 
tiff can alone gratify.— DeLa Salle waiting for a man of faith whom 
he will make whole.— Who should implore De La Salle's protection. - 
Two hundred years ago. -The world at the foot of the Altar.-La 
Salle in every heart, but still deprived of a niche in the holy place. - 
The New World in a new Cathedral. -Letter of Bishop McNierney. . . 1 



82 
















^o. 







* 4^^?^t-Ts^^ * ^' '? ' xs^jv \yijZ ^ Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process, 

o T/y/%^W\y * A^"'^ "* ^^BMim^^ Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 

■ o^ Js^VJ* ♦ ^^ "^^ • qSW^^ Treatment Date: March 2006 

"^^ '* * * \<i^ o "«» ^ "^^ *'"'*( PreservationTechnologies 

' O Vl*^ • c-£:5:'>fv ^^ *^ C, A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

^ ^ /v o /j^^^^lL^ «• '7^> 4 ^ '' '' ThofTison Park Dnve 

O V '\V.^^a=*S&/5 -^0 Cranberry Township. PA 16066 






inwxv^- 



V O' 



7; « * .0^ ^^5 






- ^ 



•^Ao^ 



A^ 



^^^ 

















































^9^ 




^oV 




^ ^^ 










